The Northern Ireland duo of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell will be free to choose to play for either Ireland or Northern Ireland should they qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero.

With the 2012 Olympics in full cry, the U.S. Open winning duo are in the picture as to what what country they would represent when golf returns to the Olympics in four years time.

There will be just a field of 60 players competing with the leading 15 coming from the World Rankings.

However PGA Tour Vice-President, Ty Votaw indicated:  “If Rory and Graeme choose to play for Ireland instead of GB & I then that will let some other guys try and compete for GB & I.

“With England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it means competing under the one country.

“Padraig Harrington is from Ireland, so he if he qualifies it will be for Ireland.”

While there is the likelihood of more than two players from the same country being among the leading 15 on the World Rankings only the leading two will represent their country.

And with the limitations on nationalities, player selection could go down into the 300s on the World Rankings that would allow a player like Fiji’s Vijay Singh, who will be aged 53 in 2016, to compete.

The move to have golf again included in the Olympics was a move to grow the further game globally and in countries like China and Korea.

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Korean competitors captured 37 medals (31 by South Koreans), and Votaw beleived winning a gold medal would be more important to a Korean than a Major Championship.

“The entire country focuses on the Olympics and only a percentage on golf any given week,” said Votaw.

“That’s going to be something we think is a positive for the sport.”