01-18-2020, 05:17 AM
CORK, Ireland -- After months of indecision over who to represent, Rory McIlroy announced Wednesday that he will play for Ireland -- not Britain -- at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The 25-year-old McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, was eligible to play for either Ireland or Team GB when golf makes its return to the Olympics in Brazil for the first time since 1904. Having played all of his amateur golf under the auspices of the Dublin-based Golfing Union of Ireland, the two-time major winner opted to stay with Ireland for the Olympics. "I have been thinking about the decision a lot and remembered all the times I represented Ireland as an amateur," McIlroy said on the eve of the Irish Open in Cork. "I was always very proud to put on the Irish uniform and play as an amateur and as a boy, and I would be very proud to do it again." McIlroy has twice played in golfs World Cup for Ireland, both times alongside fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. "Just because Im getting paid to play this great game now doesnt mean I should change (team)," McIlroy said. "So Im very happy with my decision. It means I can look forward to the Olympics in a couple of years time -- you know, if I qualify, obviously, for the team. "I just thought it was the right thing to do. It was the right time to let everyone know. Now Im really looking forward to Rio in 16." McIlroy announced his decision ahead of next months International Golf Federation meeting that will finalize the eligibility criteria for the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. "Theres no point in delaying it and letting it linger any longer," he said. "Watching the World Cup in Brazil, thinking about Brazil in a couple of years time, it just sort of got me thinking, maybe I should just go ahead and get it out of the way." Still, McIlroy said, winning an Olympic medal would not match winning a major championship. "The majors in our sport are the biggest and best prizes in the game," he said. "But as hopefully golf grows in the Olympics and becomes, say, bigger in four or five games down the line, then it might become bigger." Citizens of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, can hold both British and Irish citizenship. Most of the Protestant majority is British, most of its Catholic minority Irish. McIlroy, while raised a Catholic, grew up in the predominantly Protestant town of Holywood east of Belfast and once said he considered himself more British than Irish. His 2012 comments -- suggesting he might prefer to join the British team -- provoked strong ill feelings from Irish golf fans. McIlroy initially said he might skip Rio entirely to avoid alienating fans further. Two other top Northern Ireland golfers, Darren Clarke and McDowell, are Protestants who have identified with Ireland. Fake Red Wings Jerseys . No pretty goals on this night, just get to the front of the net and fight for a chance. Cheap Red Wings Jerseys . Watching them over the past year - and in some cases, two years - has given us a starting point for this seasons Craigs List. https://www.cheapredwings.com/ . - Gary Kubiak is John Elways No. Detroit Red Wings Shirts . The world No. 1 had one of the most dominating performances in a final and was on his way to a possible shutout on Sunday until the third-seeded Berdych broke the super Serbs serve in the 12th game of the match. Detroit Red Wings Pro Shop . Today, their baseball playing sons were reportedly traded for each other. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Cubs dealt minor league outfield Trevor Gretzky to the Angels for catcher Matt Scioscia.Corvallis, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - The 118th installment of the Civil War wasnt even close as Marcus Mariota led No. 3 Oregon to a 47-19 rout of Oregon State on Saturday. Mariota polished off the regular season and his potential Heisman Trophy campaign with six total touchdowns in helping the Ducks (11-1, 8-1 Pac-12) down their in-state rival for the seventh consecutive time. He threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 39 yards and two scores. Oregon now sets its sights on a meeting with Arizona in the Pac-12 championship on Fridaay night.dddddddddddd. The Wildcats handed the Ducks their lone loss of the season, a 31-24 setback in Eugene on Oct. 2. Oregon has won seven consecutive games since. Royce Freemand rushed for 135 yards and caught a touchdown pass, Charles Nelson hauled in two touchdowns from Mariota, and Byron Marshall led the team with 131 yards receiving in the win. Sean Mannion threw for 162 yards with a touchdown and Storm Woods added a touchdown on the ground for Oregon State (5-7, 2-7), which has lost two straight and six of its last seven overall. ' ' '