Pleas for Rory to tee off in Rio

Sebastian Coe and Pat Hickey have expressed confidence that Rory McIlroy will tee up at the Olympic Games in 2016, despite the Ulster man’s suggestion last year that he may opt out of the event.

McIlroy has spoken in the past about the options facing him in relation to the Games — represent Ireland, represent Great Britain or, what with the fear of alienating people on either side, not showing his face at all.

It was a topic which dominated the brief media Q&A given by Coe and Hickey, the respective chiefs from the British Olympic Association and Olympic Council of Ireland, yesterday.