Masters Chairman Praises Rio Olympic Golf Tournament

(ATR) Billy Payne, Atlanta 1996 president, says he watched "virtually every minute" on television.

Guardar

(ATR) Masters Chairman and Atlanta 1996 president Billy Payne gives high marks to the Rio 2016 Olympic golf tournament, asked for his opinion of the sport’s return to the Games last summer.

Payne’s compliments came during his annual State of the Masters news conference on Wednesday at Augusta National Golf Club. The world’s elite golfers teed off on Thursday morning to begin the prestigious Masters Tournament.

"I watched virtually every minute of Olympic golf on television and I thought it was fantastic," Payne said, addressing reporters at Augusta National’s opulent new media center. "I thought the players had a great time.

"I talked to both Rickie [Fowler] and Kuch [Matt Kuchar] and it exceeded their expectations," he said.

Payne said he spoke to the U.S. golfers prior to the Rio tournament as they were deciding whether to play, advising that while they have represented their countries previously, this will be "totally different."

"You need to experience this – it’s a one of a kind experience," Payne said he told the golfers.

"I was so delighted that they chose to go," Payne said, making a subtle reference to the numerous top professionals who opted not to compete in the Olympic tournament.

Payne commended Rio 2016 golf organizers for their successful execution of the Olympic tournament as the sport returned to the Games for the first time in 112 years.

"I think they did a good job – it far exceeded the expectations that most people had," said the 69-year-old Masters Chairman.

Payne was also asked if Atlanta should make another run at hosting the Summer Games so that Olympic golf could be played on the hallowed fairways and greens of Augusta National.

"I have a lot of leeway on this answer since I surely won’t be chairman then, should that happen," Payne joked.

"We are building sports facilities at a rapid rate and we certainly haven’t lost our capability of doing it, so I remain enthusiastic about the Games coming back to the United States," Payne said. "We have a candidate now that I’m very excited about in Los Angeles, so we’ll see what happens."

Rio 2016 Olympic medalists Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar are all among the 2017 Masters field, each seeking their first coveted green jacket.

Payne delivered an emotional and poignant tribute to Arnold Palmer, the four-time Masters Champion who died in September, prior to fellow legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player hitting honorary tee-shots to open the 2017 tournament.

Written by Brian Pinelli

For general comments or questions,click here.

25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.

Guardar

Últimas Noticias

Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons

Beyond the final result, Roland Garros left the feeling that the Italian and the Spaniard will shape the great duel that came to help us through the duel for the end of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era.
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons

Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024

She is the third in her sport and the seventh athlete to achieve it in the same edition; in Santiago 2023 she was the first athlete with disabilities to compete at the Pan American level and won a medal.
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024

Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris

Argentinian Rodrigo Isgró received a five-game suspension for an indiscipline in the circuit’s decisive clash that would exclude him until the final or the bronze match; the Federation will seek to make the appeal successful.
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris

Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years

The Kenyan received the maximum sanction for irregularities in his biological passport and the Court considered that he was part of a system of “deliberate and sophisticated doping” to improve his performance. He will lose his record and the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup.
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years

Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”

The American, a seven-time Olympic champion, referred to the case of the 23 positive controls before the Tokyo Games that were announced a few weeks ago and shook the swimming world. “I think our faith in some of the systems is at an all-time low,” he said.
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”