The increasingly global nature of professional golf was a hot topic during the Open Championship last week.
As the final round played out on the windy fairways of the Old Course at St. Andrews, the leaderboard was festooned with flags of many colors, including a pair each from South Africa, England, Sweden and Spain and one each from Germany, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Asia was present too... represented by a Korean amateur.
The stars and stripes were conspicuously absent from contention, which had some lamenting the demise of US dominance, but with golf set to become an Olympic sport again in 2016, those who are working to build international interest in the game are undoubtedly embracing the global trend.
To that end some of the world's top players are venturing forth to emerging golf markets. Players like the whimsical World Number Seven Rory McIlroy, who'll be the star attraction when the European Challenge Tour stages its first official event in Cairo Egypt. In mid-October, on the heels of his expected Ryder Cup debut, Rory will be joining Europe's young talent for The Egyptian Open at the JW Marriott Mirage City Golf Club.
"Having Rory McIlroy with us will help focus attention on Egypt" said the country's Golf Federation Chairman, Ayman Hussein, adding that Egypt was a country with "a bright golfing future to match its reputation as the original home of the game in the Middle East".
Rory captured his first European Tour title at the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic and finished the year as runner-up behind champion Lee Westwood of England at the inaugural Dubai World Championship. His first US win came a couple of months ago at Quail Hollow. He's clearly a global golfer... and one who would seem to be perfectly positioned for the sport's international future.
Ian Poulter may have had it right when he suggested that there was a gap. It's happened before, and it looks like the current generation of US players now in their prime may not be up to the global competition.
ReplyDeleteUS players aren't used to playing internationally and they're not used to playing in "weather" the way Europeans are. If things don't go well at the Ryder Cup this fall those factors may need to be seriously looked at
ReplyDeleteDon't kid youself, he's getting paid a bundle for just appearing there.
ReplyDeletePaid or not, Rory will be a excellent ambassador for golf and will help to generate support for the sport.
ReplyDeleteI heard that in lieu of a cash appearance fee, McIlroy will have a burial chamber reserved in one of the great pyramids. :-)
ReplyDeleteRory as Tutankhamun? I'm sure he could see the humor in that, and I love the logo for the Egyptian Golf Federation, it's a pharaoh holding a golf bag.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Rory is getting a nice appearance fee for this one... but Egypt can't be too bad a place to be for a week if they're bringing him in for the tournament. And they might get themselves on the Golf Channel now!
ReplyDeleteRory McIlroy is definitely joining a group of young elite golfers who are really aiding in the globalization of the sport. This cannot be a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Egypt as a golf destination. I hope they do show some of the tournament over here though I don't imagine it would be much. :\
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tom. It's cool Rory McIlroy is helping spread the sport across the globe. Regardless of the circumstances, that seems like a good thing to me.
ReplyDeleteLove watching his swing, BTW.