Leaders from Augusta National Golf Club, the USGA, R&A and the PGA of America yesterday announced that the men's Olympic golf champion in Rio will "receive exemptions" into their majors next year, according to Michael Whitmer of the BOSTON GLOBE. That means the men's winner at the Rio Games will "receive spots" in the '17 Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship. Meanwhile, the women's gold medal winner will "receive exemptions" into the '17 U.S. Women's Open, Ricoh Women's British Open, Women's PGA Championship and three other "elite" LPGA tournaments (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/5). ANGC Chair Billy Payne said the four organizations have "total and unanimous support of the Olympic Games." GOLFWEEK's Alex Miceli noted the Olympic gold medal "increased in value even before it has been awarded in golf's return" to the Games. But the move to "create additional invitations or exemptions seems more symbolic than substantive, because most of the Olympians will be determined off the world rankings, the same rankings that already are used to determine exemptions into golf's top events" (GOLFWEEK.com, 4/4). Golf Channel’s Phil Blackmar said, “It’s a great statement that all the major golf organizations around the world value what the Olympics has to offer, and I think that statement alone really means a lot” ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 4/5).
NEW SHERIFFS IN TOWN: In Atlanta, Steve Hummer wrote every year that passes without Tiger Woods being a factor in a major "has only lessened the game's reliance upon him." Woods last week announced he would not be playing in The Masters, and Hummer wrote, "There is an increasing 'so what?' reaction out there to him, until he actually does something." Making that "all possible is the compelling collection of players to whom Woods has bequeathed the game." There is "so much young star power in golf now that it even has its own branded version of the Big Three" in Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy (AJC.com, 4/4). In N.Y., George Willis writes the "truth is golf is in a good place right now." The Masters used to be about Woods and Phil Mickelson, and "everyone else was just decoration." Now the cast includes Spieth, Day and McIlroy, along with Bubba Watson, Adam Scott and Dustin Johnson (N.Y. POST, 4/5).
