The increasingly global nature of professional golf was a hot topic during the Open Championship last week.
As the final round played out on the windy fairways of the Old Course at St. Andrews, the leaderboard was festooned with flags of many colors, including a pair each from South Africa, England, Sweden and Spain and one each from Germany, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Asia was present too... represented by a Korean amateur.
The stars and stripes were conspicuously absent from contention, which had some lamenting the demise of US dominance, but with golf set to become an Olympic sport again in 2016, those who are working to build international interest in the game are undoubtedly embracing the global trend.
To that end some of the world's top players are venturing forth to emerging golf markets. Players like the whimsical World Number Seven Rory McIlroy, who'll be the star attraction when the European Challenge Tour stages its first official event in Cairo Egypt. In mid-October, on the heels of his expected Ryder Cup debut, Rory will be joining Europe's young talent for The Egyptian Open at the JW Marriott Mirage City Golf Club.
"Having Rory McIlroy with us will help focus attention on Egypt" said the country's Golf Federation Chairman, Ayman Hussein, adding that Egypt was a country with "a bright golfing future to match its reputation as the original home of the game in the Middle East".
Rory captured his first European Tour title at the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic and finished the year as runner-up behind champion Lee Westwood of England at the inaugural Dubai World Championship. His first US win came a couple of months ago at Quail Hollow. He's clearly a global golfer... and one who would seem to be perfectly positioned for the sport's international future.
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