Former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell has called on the International Olympic Committee to intervene on the growing controversy involving World No.1 Rory McIlroy and whether he should represent Ireland or Great Britain in the 2016 Olympic Games.

Ever since it was announced golf would return to the Olympics for a first time since 1924, McIlroy has found himself having to deal with the issue of what country he will represent.

Graeme McDowell calling on the International Olympic Committee to resolve Irish controversy. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)

The Olympic Council of Ireland went as far to state it would offer allow McIlroy to carry the Ireland flag into the Rio de Janerio Opening Ceremony if he represented Ireland.

However Pat Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland, earlier this week stated he was misquoted and no such offer was made to McIlroy.

McDowell believes the on-going controversy would be best decided by the International Olymic Committee itself.

“Obviously Rory’s come under a lot of scrutiny in the last couple of months for kind of saying he might play for Great Britain,”said McDowell ahead of his opening round of the BMW Masters in Shanghai.

“We are kind of in a unique scenario in Northern Ireland in that we have one foot on each team, if you like, and it really is going to boil down to … I think it’s going to be a lot easier if someone makes the decision for us.

“If the Olympic Committee step in and say that you guys are either playing for Ireland or you’re playing for Great Britain.”

Both McIlroy and McDowell have represented Ireland in team touranments including last November’s World Cup of Golf at Hainan Island in China.

However while McIlroy deals with the issue, McDowell said he would be prepared to represent either Great Britain or Ireland.

“It’s going to be a very difficult decision if we personally have to make that decision, because we are going to … I always say that I come from a mixed religion family,” he said.

“My mom’s Catholic and my dad is Protestant.

“And my mom would probably like me to play for Ireland, and my dad might like me to play for Britain.

“But then I always kind of sit on the fence because that’s exactly the only place I can sit. Let’s say that I’d play for whatever team we have come 2016.”