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After an absence of more than a century, golf is set to return as an Olympic sport in 2016 along with rugby sevens following their approval by the International Olympic Committee membership during the IOC’s 121st Session.

Golf was last an Olympic sport at the 1904 Games in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, when the United States and Canada were the only two competing countries but now with 60 million people playing the sport in more than 120 countries is going to be open to all countries to enter in.

The IGF has recommended an Olympic field of 60 players for each of the men’s golf and women’s golf competition, using the Official World Golf Rankings as a method of determining eligibility. The top-15 world-ranked players would be eligible for the Olympics, regardless of the number of players from a given country.

Current world rankings from both the men’s and women’s games show that at least 30 countries would be represented in both the men’s and women’s competitions, from all continents, under this proposal.

Last week the decision was made the European Golf Tour has confirmed that there will be a 25% reduction in the prize money awarded at the season ending Dubai World Championships and for the Race to Dubia bonus pool.

If a player is lucky enough and wins both the tournament and the Race to Dubai they will now take home £1.7 million instead of the £2.2 million they could have had if the decision was not made to make the 25% reduction in prize money.

The move follows discussions in the United Arab Emirates between Tour chief executive George O’Grady and event sponsors Nakheel. They came to decision to reduce the prize money to reflect the current worldwide economic position and have stated that they will jointly examine prize money levels in future years in the light of this developing global circumstance. The prize funds for both competitions are significant amounts that are worthy of the season-ending tournament and world-class field that will be competing, yet they are reflective of a new economic climate.

Steve Stricker wins the second event of the 2009 FedEx Cup Playoffs and climbs to the top of the FedEx Cup rankings

Titleist Brand Ambassador Steve Stricker produced a birdie-birdie finish at TPC Boston to claim the Deutsche Bank Championship and climb to the top of the 2009 FedEx Cup rankings. Stricker’s final round 4-under par 67 gave him a 17-under par total which was enough to seal victory by one shot from fellow full-line Titleist player Jason Dufner and Pro V1 loyalist Scott Verplank. Victory in Massachusetts was the third of the year for Stricker, helping him climb to second place in the World Golf Rankings and top of the 2009 FedEx Cup Playoffs as Titleist continues to be the choice of champions.

Stricker trusted the superior performance of Titleist throughout his bag for his seventh career PGA Tour win, including the Pro V1 golf ball, 909D3 driver, 906F2 fairway metal, 909H hybrid, 755 irons, Vokey Design wedges. As well as claiming the top three spots on the leaderboard, Angel Cabrera (Pro V1x) and Padraig Harrington (Pro V1x) finished on 269, 15-under par to give the legendary Titleist Pro V1 family five of the top six finishers. The majority of the field also put their trust in the superior feel and control of the Pro V1 as 63 players teed up with Titleist, compared to 10 for the nearest competitor. Titleist also topped the counts for iron sets, wedges and putters respectively.

Elsewhere, on the Champions Tour, Pro V1 loyalist Jeff Sluman shot a final round 4-under par, 68, to claim the Walmart First Tee Open by two strokes from fellow Titleist golf ball loyalist Gene Jones (Pro V1x). On the Nationwide Tour, Titleist Brand Ambassador Troy Merritt beat Pro V1 loyalist Adam Bland in an all-Titleist play-off to claim his first Tour victory at the Mexico Open. On the Canadian Tour, James Love trusted the Pro V1x to claim the Canadian Tour Championship at the first extra hole. These wins across worldwide professional tours take Titleist’s worldwide win count for 2009 to 108, compared to 22 for the nearest competitor.

Another triumph for Titleist Brand Ambassador Steve Stricker who climbs to World No.2, as well as the constant flow of victories around the world for Pro V1 loyalists proves once again that the game’s elite continue to opt for the matchless performance of Titleist.

The world golf championship help in Ohio this year announces the winner to be Tiger Woods.

The world’s number one, did not have an easy game though, it was his main competition Padraig Harrington who kept him on his toes throughout his time on the golf course. Harrington, who had led for the first three rounds had produced his best golf of the year with an opening-round 64 to lead  in Ohio, led by a stroke with three holes to play before his round buckled.

It was on day three, Woods was three shots behind Harrington but gained ground after holding an eagle and five birdies. Both were warned for slow play (this could have resulted in a $5000, £2995 fine, as players must play within an allocated time while on the clock) with this in mind Harrington had a triple bogey and finished four shots adrift as he rushed his shot.

Woods, who birdied the 16th thanks to a superb eight iron over the water that stopped a foot from the hole, finished on 12 under to seal his seventh victory in the event. Woods became the first player in PGA TOUR history to win seven times on the same golf course. He also picked up 550 FedExCup points and extended his lead to 946 points.  His victory will be short lived as he will be turning his concentration to the US PGA, which is due to begin on Thursday.

Phil Mickelson (born June 16, 1970) is set to return to the PGA tour for the first time in 6 weeks when the star studded WGC-Bridgestone International gets started. The American ranking world number two has spent time away from the competition caring his wife Amy and mother Mary who are both being treated for breast cancer. Mickelson withdrew from the British Open this year, citing his wife’s health, and was taking a break from competitive golf to focus on his family. This will be his fourth and final major of the season.

He has won three major championships and a total of 36 events on the PGA Tour and his nicknamed “Lefty” for his left-handed swing, even though he does everything else right handed. This is because since picking up his first golf club at the age of 18 months he mirrored his father and therefore can play better on his left hand.

The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational began yesterday at Firestone Country Club, here Mickelson already had some success. He won the old NEC World Series of Golf there 1996, finished second the next three years and shared fourth last August. The PGA Championship, which Mickelson won in 2005.

It is also reported that World number one Tiger Woods will also compete in Ohio as he looks for a fifth tour win since knee surgery last year.

You may or may not be aware that there is another golf event starting today. The RICOH Women’s British Open is now in it’s 33rd year, but it’s only the 9th year of it being a Major LPGA event. Before that it was an LPGA tournament for seven years.

Despite this being the 32nd Women’s British Open (there wasn’t one in 1983), women’s golf is desperately in need of a boost. But if this event has a conclusion that is half as good as the men’s Open at Turnberry two weeks ago, women’s golf will be all right.

With the LPGA tour in the US losing seven events since 2007, its commissioner being sacked two weeks ago, and Annika Sorenstam, the greatest female player for a generation, retiring last year, the women’s game is in turmoil.

Step forward Michelle Wie, who is playing her last major championship as a teenager. Wie has for some time been the gifted child of the LPGA tour, but let’s see if she has what it takes to help women’s golf out of the brink.

She may have had trouble in the past when she was allowed to play in the men’s events, but she’s about to turn 20. Older? Wiser? This tournament’s the decider.

The British contingent suffered a disappointing first day at the Open at Turnberry as the home challenge failed to get going, despite fine conditions.

Lee Westwood, Anthony Wall, Graeme McDowell, David Howell and Paul Casey all shot 68 to finish two under, four shots off leader Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Ross Fisher, who finished fifth at the US Open, was a shot further behind, alongside Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy.

Ian Poulter suffered a disastrous day, ending five over after a 75.

It had looked so promising when Westwood started with three birdies in a row in the morning, only to double bogey the 16th.

Fisher enjoyed his best major last month at Bethpage Black, finishing only three shots behind winner Lucas Glover.

He endured a difficult start at Turnberry but the 28-year-old – who is about to become a father – finished in style with birdies at each of the last three holes to fire a 69.

After a fine start, Casey dropped shots at the 12th and 14th to fall back into the pack and he admitted he missed a chance to shoot a lower score.

Poulter was disconsolate after a birdie-free round that has put him in severe danger of missing the halfway cut.

Will Harrington make it three in a row?

Will the Brits make it into high positions by the end of the weekend?

Let us know your thoughts below, or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.

Titleist Brand Ambassador topped the leaderboard at the John Deere Classic this weekend, and was joined at the top of the leaderboard by fellow full-line Titleist players, Brett Quigley and Zach Johnson who finished tied second in Illinois. Stricker followed the lowest round of his career, a stunning 10-under par 61, on Saturday with rounds of 68 and 64 on a marathon 36-hole Sunday, to post a 20-under par total of 264, which saw him claim the title by three shots from Quigley, Johnson and one other. The victory was the second of the year for Stricker and the sixth US PGA Tour victory of his career.

Stricker trusted the superior performance of Titleist throughout his bag including the Pro V1 golf ball, 909D3 driver, 906F fairway metal, 985.H utility metal, 755 irons and Vokey design sand and lob wedges. As well as being the choice of the champion, the Titleist Pro V1 was the most played ball at the John Deere Classic, with 105 players compared to 23 for the nearest competitor. The Pro V1 was also the overwhelming favourite at the top of the leaderboard as 10 of the 14 players who finished tied ninth or better trusted the feel and performance of the legendary Pro V1 franchise. Titleist also topped the irons sets, wedges and putters categories respectively.

The Pro V1 was the choice of the majority of the field at the Barclay’s Scottish Open on the European Tour. A total of 93 players teed up with Titleist at Loch Lomond, compared to 27 for the nearest competitor, and the Pro V1 or Pro V1x was also the choice of 7 of the top 10 finishers.

In other golf news:

You’ve heard of “road rage”, but how many of you have heard of “golf rage”?

A golfer in Bedfordshire has been found guilty of just that.  Harold Stafford assaulted Barry Barnes after accusing him of playing his ball last September at Stockwood Park golf club.

The court heard Mr Barnes suffered two black eyes and had to take a week off work. Claudette Elliott, the prosecutor described the assault as “golf rage”.

The court heard that Mr Barnes also suffered chest and back injuries in the attack on 19 September.

During his trial, Stafford claimed he acted in self-defence.

As much as we all love golf, please just remember it is a game and we’re all on the course for a good time.

Richard Green

Australia’s Richard Green hit a superb first-round 64 to lead a top-class Scottish Open field at Loch Lomond.

The left-hander, who finished tied third at the tournament in 2008, made six birdies and an eagle on Thursday to set the pace at seven under.

England’s Graeme Storm, US-based Scot Martin Laird, Ireland’s Paul McGinley and Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano were tied second, one shot adrift.

Rory McIlroy shot 68, Ian Poulter hit 69, but Lee Westwood struggled to a 73.

England’s Westwood was struggling with a chest infection and said he was “stupid” to have teed off, while Ernie Els, Darren Clarke, Masters champion Angel Cabrera and Australian Geoff Oglivy all shot 69 for two under.

Northern Ireland’s defending champion Graeme McDowell carded 70, while former Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal went round in level-par 71 as he bids to secure a spot at the Open next week.

The Spaniard has yet to qualify and needs to finish as the highest player on the leaderboard not already exempt in order to book a place at Turnberry.

Former European Ryder Cup captain Sir Nick Faldo, playing in his first tournament of the year as he gears up to return to the Open next week, and colourful American Boo Weekley also carded rounds of 71.

First-round leader, Green, ranked 90th in the world, has struggled this year with five missed cuts in 11 appearances but seems to be hitting form at the right time.

Martin Kaymer, who last month committed to joining the TaylorMade Golf Tour Staff in 2010, captured the Open de France ALSTOM in a playoff at the weekend.

The victory, Kaymer’s third on the European Tour, elevated him to 19th in the Official World Golf Rankings. One of the European Tour’s rising stars, Kaymer was named the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year for 2007, then won twice in 2008; the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and the BMW International Open.

“This is precisely why we wanted Martin on our Tour Staff,” said Chuck Presto, TaylorMade Golf’s senior vice president of sports marketing. “He’s a great competitor who knows how to win. We’re looking forward to helping him reach his full potential as a tour professional.”

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