Darren and Rory in New Year Honours List

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Darren Clarke - OBE for services to golf

Rory McIlroy - MBE for services to golf

Good to see golfers in the list, although I guess some may question it at Rory's young age.

Nice quote from McIlroy: "Many people on the Honours list have made huge personal sacrifices and contributed significantly to society during their lives. I feel very fortunate to be in their company."

Well at the moment they would be unlikely to get the invite anyway so I wouldn't worry about that

faldono1fan wrote:Sorry s_r, but that is rubbish. What about the people taking part in bowls,sumo wrestling,discus/hammer throwing, weightlifters, Yachting to name a few. These participants come in all shapes and sizes so the golfers would certainly not look out of place. Not sure whether or not the "pampered" tennis players stay in the village and we don't know at what level the golfing olympian would be aimed at. Football is part of the olympics, but none of the top players play for example.

I think you'd be suprised how many top players do play at the Olympics. Its just not something that gets a lot of press in the UK as we dont seem to qualify or send a team for whatever reason. But a lot of the top African and South American players do go, well the top Under 23 players anyway. For a start Messi played at the last Olympics and we was already a top player by then. Aguero was there as well, Mascherano, Serio Romero and Ronaldhino was in the Brazil team that got Bronze, presumably as an overage player. Marcelo played as well.
They take it a lot more seriously than we do.

I stand corrected Diggers, but seems a bit hit and miss.Not taken seriously by any european country by the looks of things.

No thats very true, though I think even that might change a little bit for the London games, certainly form a UK perspective at the very least.

faldono1fan wrote:I stand corrected Diggers, but seems a bit hit and miss.Not taken seriously by any european country by the looks of things.

You can not put your full squad out in the Olympics. The current Olympic system allows for three overage players alongside a squad of under-23 players.