The International Golf Federation (IGF) is making a push to make golf an Olympic sport.  Annika Sorenstam, Colin Montgomerie and other tour leaders have been meeting with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week with the goal of making golf an Olympic sport in 2016.  Six other sports (baseball, squash, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens and softball) are trying to do the same.

The IOC is listening to proposals from all 7 sports and will select 2 sports in August that will join the 26 current summer Olympic events.  Golf is believed t to be the unofficial front-runner among the 7, due to its wide appeal and international presence.

The IGF’s presentation will call for a 72-hole stroke play tournament for men and women.  There will be a 60 player field and three hole play-offs will determine the medal winners.

Ryder Cup Captains Colin Montgomerie (Europe) and Corey Pavin (US) have laid out some expectations for team members and hopeful team members.

Montgomerie has stated that he expects candidates for the European team to play Celtic Manor Wales Open next year.  Miguel Angel Jimenez is the only European hopeful who is in the field this week at Celtic Manor.  This comes just a month after Montgomerie stressed the importance of gaining a knowledge of the course prior to the Cup.

“I am sure I will get a number to say ‘yes’ and I would expect those potential Ryder Cup players to be playing.”, Montgomerie said.

Corey Pavin has set forth a similar expectation for the American team members.  Pavin said he wouldn’t require that his team play in the Wales Open, but they should find time to play the course prior to the Ryder Cup match if they don’t.

“It is obviously a little different for us, but what I’m going to do is ask my players who come over for The Open Championship, either before or after, to try to get a couple practice rounds here,” Pavin said. “I certainly would like my potential players to see the course once or twice before Ryder Cup week.”

The European Ryder Cup team has changed the way team members will be selected.

Colin Montgomerie will now have 3 captain selections and four players will be taken from a points list based on world rankings.  The European team had only had 2 captain’s picks since 1995.

The European change follows the US teams change last year which gave the US captain 4 picks with the rest coming from a points based system.

European captain Colin Montgomerie has hinted that he will request a change in Europe’s qualification system for the Ryder Cup.  Europe currently opts for 10 qualifiers and 2 wild cards which is the system that has been in place since the match in 1995.  Montgomerie has always wanted to have more control of the selection of team members.  He has even gone so far as to suggest that he be allowed to pick all 12 members.

Montgomerie has declined to say exactly what changes he will lobby for, only that he will seek a change to the rules.

The PGA of America and US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin announced the last weeks Masters launched the point system that will determine who gains a spot on the 2010 Ryder Cup team.  The US point system will determine the top 8 players and Pavin will have 4 selections at a later date to fill out the team.  Colin Montgomerie will lead the European team.

Points are based on the following:

- Prize money earned in the 2009 major championships (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship): One point is awarded for every $1,000 earned; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points.

- Prize money earned in 2010 “Official” events from Jan. 1 through Aug.15: One point is awarded for every $1,000 earned, excluding the major championships, events played opposite major championships and events played opposite World Golf Championships; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points.

- Prize money earned for the 2010 major championships: (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and the PGA Championship). Two points are awarded for every $1,000 earned; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points.

- Prize money earned in 2010 events played opposite the major championships and opposite World Golf Championship events between Jan. 1 and the PGA Championship, Aug. 16 – one-half point will be awarded for every $1,000 earned; all U.S. players making the cut will earn points.