O'Grady joins IGF delegation in visit to Olympic golf course

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, joined an official delegation of the Board of the International Golf Federation (IGF) on an extensive tour of the new golf course being constructed in Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic Games.

The delegation, led by IGF President Peter Dawson and Executive Director Antony Scanlon, included O’Grady and fellow Board member Mike Davis, Executive Director of the USGA. They were joined by course architect Gil Hanse and his design team during the two days visit in which they walked the course and met the Rio Olympic Organising Committee.

O’Grady, a past Chairman of the IGF Executive Committee, was impressed with the progress being made on the course, which is situated in close proximity to the Olympic Park in the vibrant Brazilian city.

He said: “There is no question that Gil Hanse, working together with World Golf Hall of Fame member  Amy Alcott, has done a superb job in creating a tremendous golf course which, in the words of Gil, is designed to resemble courses on the Australian sand belt.

“The course, which is only separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a lagoon, was further advanced than I expected, although there is still work to be done on the surrounding infrastructure. It was good to note that the course is close to the Olympic athletes’ village, while other arrangements are well advanced thanks to Antony and the Organising Committee.”

Following the trip to Rio, O’Grady then attended a high profile IGF Olympic Golf Forum in Orlando, broadcast live on the Golf Channel, which included world class golfers and potential Olympians in four-time Ryder Cup player Graeme McDowell and Suzann Pettersen, winner of two Major Championships.

He concluded: “I have no doubt that this should be a superb venue for the return of golf to the Olympic Games after an absence of 112 years.”