Although the PGA Tour laid on a charter plane to transport any of their players who wanted to go to Rio, none of their members agreed, so the test event was played last week by leading Brazillian players. Ladies European Tour professional Miriam Nagl, who lives in Germany, ccame top with a round of 67, while the mens event was shared by Alexandre Roche and Rodrigo Lee who had 68s.

Anthony Scanlon, Chief Executive of the International Golf Federation gave a conference. The Australian who has headed the IGF since 2010 said of golf’s return to the Olympic Games:

“The top players will be here in Rio. Any athlete who qualifies will be here. They see the significance of the event to golf and the opportunity it presents them. The television audience will be 3.6 billion. It will being exposure to markets and people who have never seen gold. That is the uniqueness of broadcasting an olympic sport. 60-70% of people watching would not nor,ally watch sport week in, week out. All of us in golf will benefit”

World Health Organisation officials were also present at the event and will report their findings on the threat of the zika virus and how to combat it, to competitors within two weeks.

Eligible players are currently:

Men’s event

Argentina: Grillo, Gomez, Australia: Day, Scott, Austria: Wiesburger, Bangladesh: Rahman, Belgium: Pieters, Colsaerts, Brazil: Da Silva, Canada: De Laet, Hearn, China: Liang, Ashun, Colombia: Villegas, Denmark: Kjeldsen, Olesen, Fiji: Singh, Finland: Illonen, Kakko, France: Dubisson, Levy, Germany: Kaymer, Cejka, Great Britain: Rose, Willett, India: Lahiri, Chawrasia, Ireland: McIlroy, Lowry,  Italy: F Molinari, Japan Matsuyama, Katayuna, Malaysia: Chia, Mexico: Ortiz, Netherlands: Luiten, New Zealand: Lee, Fox, Paraguay: Zanotti, Philippines: Tabuena, Que, Portugal: Gouveia, Singapore: Marmat, Spain: Garcia, Cabrero Bello, South Africa: Oosthuizen, Grace, South Korea: Ben An, KT Kim, Sweden: Stenson, Lingmerth, Thailand: Jaidee, Aphibarnrat, Taiwan: Pan, Liv United States: Spieth, Watson, Fowler, Bubba Watson, Johnson, Venezuela: Vegas, Zimbabwe: De Jonge

Women’s event

Australia: Webb, Lee, Austria: Wolf, Belgium: Leir, Quin Brazil: Nagl, Canada: Henderson, Sharp Chile: Feng, Lin, Colombia: Uribe, Czech Rebublic: Silkova, Denmark: Broch Larssen, Madsen, Finland: Wikstei , Tamminen, France: Icher, Great Britain: Hull, Matthew, Germany: Gal, Masson, India: Ashok, Ireland: Maguire, Meadow, Israel: Beck, Italy: Sergas, Molinaro, Japan: Miyazato, Normuro, Malaysia: Tan, Koh, Mexico: Lopez, Llaneza, Netherlands: Boeljon, Schreefek, Norway: Pettersen, Skarpnord, New Zealand: Ko, Chong, Paraguay: Granada, Russia: Verchenova, South Africa: Pace, Keto, South Korea: Park, Jang, Yang, Kim Spain: Munoz, Ciganda, Switzerland: Albon, Sweden: Nordqvist, Lindberg, Thailand: Phatlum, Jutanugam, Thailand: Lu, Kang, United States: Thompson, Kerr