One Year To Rio:Olympics Will Mark a New Chapter For Golf

Golfers already have their eye on the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil.Three of them,Henrik Stenson of Sweden,American Matt Kuchar and South Korean Ben An,plus PGA executive vice president Ty Votaw,gathered for a press conference at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron,Ohio to mark the year away milestone.The Games open on 5 August 2016 and run through 21 August;while the golf competition begins on 17 August.
The new Olympic golf course in Rio had a good growing season,Mr.Votaw pointed out,and seems to be on track for a successful opening next year.Designed by architect Gil Hanse of Hanse Golf Course Design,Inc. in Malvern,Pennsylvania,the course was constructed with a high degree of care for the environmentally sensitive site,including a selective logging technique the firm hadn't used before.It will host a test event by prominent male and female golfers in March 2016.The golf world will have to deal with an altered calendar to accommodate the Olympics,as well as the prospect of top golfers skipping certain annual tournaments in order to prepare or rest for the Olympics.*
I'm excited about the Olympics,said Matt Kuchar.I know most of the other players are excited.*
To compete there and hopefully win a medal for Sweden would be very special,Henrik Stenson added.It's going to be a strong achievement and something you would be remembered for the rest of your life.It's been good for golf.We've seen a lot of support in the developing countries.Golf being in the Olympics is very important in some of these countries.*
Ben An,23,whose Korean name is Byeong-Hun An,has been having a breakout year on the European Tour,winning the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth,England,and placing in the top ten in several other tournaments.
If it weren't for the Olympics,I wouldn't even be here,An joked,referring to the fact that his parents,both Olympic medal-winners in table tennis,his father for South Korea and his mother for China,got acquainted at the Olympics.*
The three players posed with the silver trophy that was won in 1904 by the last Olympic golf champion,Canadian George Seymour Lyon (1858-1938),a very successful amateur of his day.The sport was then excluded from the Olympics for well over a century.We applied to return eight years ago,Mr.Votaw recalled.

DP World Tour Championship,Dubai;Portuguese Visas

The DP World Tour Championship,Dubai is underway in the United Arab Emirates.It is being played at Jumeirah Golf Estates,a luxury resort community.The tournament is the culminating event of the European Tour's Race To Dubai,the overall season championship of the Tour.Henrik Stenson of Sweden is current leader of the Race To Dubai,while Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is defending champion of the tournament. McIlroy is currently tied for the first round lead with Spain's Rafa Cabrera-Bello at -3.*
Partners of the European Tour are BMW;Genworth;and Rolex.Sponsors are ClubCar and Titleist.*
Peter Uihlein is the only American participant.*
Meanwhile,the Australasian PGA Tour is holding the Australian Masters at Royal Melbourne.Adam Scott is defending champion,and American Matt Kuchar is also participating.*
NBC Universal's Golf Channel is broadcasting both events.*
Investors who transfer at least 1 million euros to Portugal or create at least 10 jobs are eligible for a Portuguese residence visa.The program is also for those
who buy property in Portugal worth a mimimum of 500,000 euros.Since inception,it has netted 198 million euros of investment.Up to 400 visas will be issued in the program this year;there is currently no limit for 2014.