Brazilian Golfers See Sport's Potential At Home

(ATR) Brazilian golfers Miriam Nagl and Victoria Lovelady are hopeful that golf can gain traction in their native country from exposure at the Olympic Games.

Both ladies are battling to punch their tickets for Rio 2016, where 60 female golfers will contend for Olympic medals.

Nagl and Lovelady are excited for women’s golf at the Olympics for the first time since Paris 1900, but remain cautiously optimistic regarding whether the sport can develop significantly in Brazil after the Games.

"I think the Olympics and all the exposure will definitely start to attract more Brazilians to the game," Nagl told Around the Rings. "Hopefully, more young people will have their first contact with golf. They have so much talent in soccer, so why not use that in golf.

"At the moment, it’s still very difficult because there aren’t many public courses or ranges," Nagl said about golf’s current state in Brazil. "It’s a big hurdle – golf is expensive in Brazil and it’s not like you can go play a round of golf for $10 like in the U.S."

The new Olympic course built at Reserva de Marapendi in Barra da Tijuca is expected to become public after the Games in an effort to develop and grow the sport in Brazil.

"It’s the first public course ever in the country, so there is a hope for people that never had access to the sport to start," Lovelady told ATR. "The kids that live in the area are going to have a curiosity to start the sport knowing they can access the course.

"With golf tourism, people from other countries are going to want to taste the course and I think that is going to be huge for Brazil," Lovelady said. "Hopefully, they’ll have more golf tournaments and I believe from now on, golf’s popularity is only going to rise."

Despite the legacy plans, Nagl said she heard speculation that the course could ultimately be turned into a private club.

"I heard that they have no idea how they could successfully run a public course and at the end of the day it could become private again," Nagl said. "This would be a shame – I hope they find a way for it to stay public."

Nagl said she and other top golfers from her country can play a role in helping to develop the game in Brazil.

"I hope we leave an impression at the Olympic Games and then make changes there afterwards – offering clinics and developing programs where girls are more involved and can come out and hit balls."

The Road to Rio 2016

Nagl is currently ranked in the last of the 60 qualifying spots in the International Golf Federation (IGF) Olympic rankings, while Lovelady is just outside. As the host nation, Brazil is guaranteed one spot. Both players compete predominantly on the Ladies European Tour.

Nagl, born to German parents living in Brazil, currently spends her time between Berlin and Sarasota, Florida. She played collegiate golf at Arizona State, before competing on the LPGA Tour from 2002 to 2006.

Lovelady was born in São Paulo but brought up in Rio. The Brazilian golfer is the granddaughter of one of the founders of the Itanhangá Golf Club in Rio. She honed her game in California, but now shares time between Germany and her native Brazil.

"I never thought I would be able to play an Olympic event in my home country, but the moment I knew that it was going to happen, a lot of things changed in my life," Lovelady said. "For me, there are a lot of emotions attached because my family has been involved in golf in Rio for a long time."

It is conceivable that both players could qualify for the Games if one can climb to the 59th position in the IGF Olympic rankings.

"Everything is still open and we’re hoping to both qualify," Nagl said about Rio 2016. "That’s our goal right now."

"We’re in a battle, but if we could both qualify and have two players there, it would help the popularity of golf in Brazil, " Lovelady said. "Even for the young girls, who are aspiring golfers."

Rio Olympic Golf Course Receives High Marks

Nagl and Lovelady were among nine players who participated in the March 8th test on the new Gil Hanse designed Olympic course. Both praised the course design and playing conditions at the one-day test event.

"It definitely surpassed all my expectations," Lovelady said of the par 71-course that plays approximately 6,350 yards for the women. "Gil has done an amazing job – from the quality of grass they used to the design, it blew my mind.

"The greens were amazing – I’ve never played on such good greens in my life.

"The course looks really intimidating, but it is so fair and rewards your good shots. You still have to have good precision because there is not much margin for error with landing areas and shots to the green."

"I think they did a great job with it and everyone was impressed," Nagl said of the new course in Barra da Tijuca. "It’s interesting because you’re in humid and hot weather at 35 degrees and yet you’re playing links golf."

Both golfers said that the Olympic course – which is adjacent to Lake Marapendi and approximately 500 meters from the Atlantic Ocean – offers a stunning natural beauty and unique challenge.

"There’s a nice mountain with a Brazilian flag on top, you see those nice green hills they have in Rio and the whole Olympic site is just beautiful," Nagl said.

"The course is right next to the ocean – by the time we get to July the wind could really be a factor," Lovelady said. "The course is going to be really, really interesting to play."

Written by Brian Pinelli

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