G-Mac: Olympic call too tough

Graeme McDowell hopes golfing or Olympic authorities take the question of allegiance out of the hands of himself, Rory McIlroy and other Northern Irish golfers ahead of the sport’s re-introduction to the Games at Rio 2016.

World No 1 McIlroy sparked a widespread debate over whether he would represent Ireland or Great Britain and Northern Ireland in four years’ time when he admitted earlier this month that he “felt more British than Irish”. The 23-year-old has still not committed to either side but McDowell said he felt sorry for McIlroy in the way the issue had come to a head in the wake of his most recent victory.

“I felt bad for Rory that the post-BMW Championship press was very much focused on Rory’s allegiance to which part of the world he was going to play for in the Olympics,” McDowell said.