2012 USPGA Championship

[screenexile]

I think its only fair they should announce their intentions now so some people can start to claim they never liked them/always thought they where great guys well in advance.

Most people have an opinion on that one already without them having to declare for anyone yet!!

[Orior]

There is no question. Like boxing, golf is organised on an all Ireland basis.

[Tony Baloney]

I think its only fair they should announce their intentions now so some people can start to claim they never liked them/always thought they where great guys well in advance.

Most people have an opinion on that one already without them having to declare for anyone yet!!

I like GMac regardless of who he declares for. There!

[laoislad]

I think its only fair they should announce their intentions now so some people can start to claim they never liked them/always thought they where great guys well in advance.

Most people have an opinion on that one already without them having to declare for anyone yet!!

I like GMac regardless of who he declares for. There!

Me too, I would be a far bigger fan of GMac than Mcilroy.

[nrico2006]

Why is it that every time McIlroy wins something that people on this board are more concerned with his religion and nationality?  Change the record.

[sammymaguire]

Is it cos Rory is a catholic with what seems to be very protestant based idealisms and tendencies and the fact that he hasn't been drawn on the issue? 

[Hardy]

No. It's because too many people in this country are still concerned with mediaeval labels.

[deiseach]

Why is it that every time McIlroy wins something that people on this board are more concerned with his religion and nationality?  Change the record.

[sammymaguire]

No. It's because too many people in this country are still concerned with mediaeval labels.

there ya have it then nrico2006! 

[laoislad]

Padraig is only saying this because on Current form rory and Graeme would keep him out of competing in the Olympics.
I think the 2 guys will keep everyone guessing as to who they will represent. But what should show as a hint is the fact that they both represent Ireland in the golf world cup.

If Harrington is in the Top 15 in the world in 4 years time he need not worry as the Top 15 will qualify regardless of country.
You would imagine Mcilroy will be in the top 15 but you would doubt if Gmac or Harrington will be.
After the top 15 are known then the next 45 players representing countries that do not already have two representatives will qualify.

As for Gmac and Mcilroy representing Ireland at the World Cup,well there was no one else they could have played for.
There is no Team GB in Golf (outside of the Olympics) and they couldn't play for England,Scotland or Wales so Ireland was their only option apart of course from the option of not playing at all.

[heganboy]

You would imagine Mcilroy will be in the top 15 but you would doubt if Gmac or Harrington will be.

wouldn't be so quick to dismiss GMAC- I'd say he'll be there or thereabouts...

[Tubberman]

GUI is a 32-county body so McIlroy has to represent Ireland or get off the island altogether!

[Evil Genius]

As for Gmac and Mcilroy representing Ireland at the World Cup,well there was no one else they could have played for.
There is no Team GB in Golf (outside of the Olympics) and they couldn't play for England,Scotland or Wales so Ireland was their only option apart of course from the option of not playing at all.

Nice attempt at "squaring the circle" there, LL, but there is no logical resolution to this.

For example, "Great Britain" is not a Nation State, but the UK is, and the UK includes NI. By contrast, Golf in Ireland is organised on an all-Ireland basis, yet Rory and GMac etc get designated as "Northern Irish" by the PGA/R&A. The Olympic Committee of Ireland claims to represent the whole of the island, yet "Team GB" [sic] may pick athletes from NI, since the official (i.e. not "brand") name of the team is "Great Britain and Northern Ireland". And as regards precedent, the only other time Golf had national team entries in the Games was pre-partition, so the only "local" team competed under the name "Great Britain and Ireland".

I personally don't believe Golf should be in the Games, but if it must, my take is as follows. People from NI are automatically entitled to call themselves British or Irish or both. Therefore they should be entitled to choose for themselves whether they are "British" golfers or "Irish" ones.

As for which they might choose, assuming Rory is in the world's top 15 come 2016 (v.likely but by not guaranteed, imo), then I suspect he will go "British" - if nothing else, his Agent/Sponsors/Corporate backers etc would see the financial advantage to this.  And as Harrington argues, it would also free up a place for another Irish golfer.

As for Gmac, I doubt he will be top 15 by then, but it's possible and if he is, I strongly suspect he would opt to be British. That said, if the only way he could 'make the cut' would be by being "Irish", and he's bothered about being an Olympian, then that may be his choice (imo).

And however it turns out, insofar as I can summon up any enthusiasm for Olympic Golf, good luck to both of them. 

[baoithe]

As for Gmac and Mcilroy representing Ireland at the World Cup,well there was no one else they could have played for.
There is no Team GB in Golf (outside of the Olympics) and they couldn't play for England,Scotland or Wales so Ireland was their only option apart of course from the option of not playing at all.

Nice attempt at "squaring the circle" there, LL, but there is no logical resolution to this.

For example, "Great Britain" is not a Nation State, but the UK is, and the UK includes NI. By contrast, Golf in Ireland is organised on an all-Ireland basis, yet Rory and GMac etc get designated as "Northern Irish" by the PGA/R&A. The Olympic Committee of Ireland claims to represent the whole of the island, yet "Team GB" [sic] may pick athletes from NI, since the official (i.e. not "brand") name of the team is "Great Britain and Northern Ireland". And as regards precedent, the only other time Golf had national team entries in the Games was pre-partition, so the only "local" team competed under the name "Great Britain and Ireland".

I personally don't believe Golf should be in the Games, but if it must, my take is as follows. People from NI are automatically entitled to call themselves British or Irish or both. Therefore they should be entitled to choose for themselves whether they are "British" golfers or "Irish" ones.

As for which they might choose, assuming Rory is in the world's top 15 come 2016 (v.likely but by not guaranteed, imo), then I suspect he will go "British" - if nothing else, his Agent/Sponsors/Corporate backers etc would see the financial advantage to this.  And as Harrington argues, it would also free up a place for another Irish golfer.

As for Gmac, I doubt he will be top 15 by then, but it's possible and if he is, I strongly suspect he would opt to be British. That said, if the only way he could 'make the cut' would be by being "Irish", and he's bothered about being an Olympian, then that may be his choice (imo).

And however it turns out, insofar as I can summon up any enthusiasm for Olympic Golf, good luck to both of them. 

Not sure either Great Britain or the UK are nation states. Sovereign entities or sovereign states maybe but not nation states. There are very few nation states left as far as I can see.

[Evil Genius]

Not sure either Great Britain or the UK are nation states. Sovereign entities or sovereign states maybe but not nation states. There are very few nation states left as far as I can see.

I think I see the distinction you make, so fair enough.

Can we compromise on the UK being a "Member State of the United Nations", then?