The Ireland Olympic golf team seems to be in disarray with Graeme McDowell now withdrawing from travelling to Rio and just two days after the team’s No. 1 player Rory McIlroy officially withdrew.
McDowell was expected to replace McIlroy but the 2010 US Open champion issued a statement saying he is not prepared to compete outside the US while is his is pregnant with the couples second child.
It means three-time Major winning Padraig Harrington gets his Olympic wish and will now partner Shane Lowry.
“It would be a huge honour for me to represent Irealand at the Olympic Games,” said Harrington via an Olympic Council of Ireland statement on Thursday.
And Harrington is no strange to winning in Brazil having captured the European Tour’s 2000 Brazil Sao Paulo 500 Years Open in the week prior the Masters that year.
Padraig Harrington (r) gets his wish to represent Ireland in the Olympics and will now partner Shane Lowry in Rio.
McDowell’s statement reads:-
“I woke yesterday morning to the news that Rory McIlroy had withdrawn from the Irish Olympic Golf team, putting me next in line for an automatic spot on the team.”
“As many within golf will know my wife Kristin is pregnant and is due to have our second child just a couple of weeks after the Olympic Golf competition concludes. I made the decision many months ago, before I was on the Team, that I would not play or travel outside the US, where my family and I live, in the weeks running up to the birth.”
“Unfortunately I will therefore not be available to replace Rory on the team. I have informed Paul McGinley and the Olympic Council of Ireland of my decision.”
“I’ve always been a proud member of Ireland’s golf teams, from my amateur career through to playing in four World Cups of Golf for Ireland and I wish the Irish Olympic Team the very best of luck in Rio.”
Harrington, and from the day golf was announced was returning to the Olympic arena, has spoken of his goal to wear the Irish colours and at 46 years of age he gets his chance to win an Olympic gold medal.
The Olympic Council of Ireland also released a statement saying: “In particular, we are very fortunate to have a global star in Pádraig Harrington who is now in contention for automatic selection for Rio 2016.”
The Irish golf team will be announced in mid-July – Harrington himself commented:
“Based on the current ranking points I am next in line for automatic selection to the Irish Olympic Team for Rio 2016. I will work very hard over the next few weeks to achieve this selection as it would be a huge honour for me to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games, having played an active role in golf’s bid to be re-included in the Olympic Games programme.”
