6 Jun 2009

Montgomerie backs golf as Olympic sport

1:37 pm on 6 June 2009

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie is campaigning for golf to be an Olympic sport.

Montgomerie, 45, will take his case to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) next week.

Montgomerie is among 18 players who sent letters of support to IOC members in April. Others to do so were Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam.

Their letters included a 32-page dossier on why golf should be included in the Games, containing information on how many people play the sport around the world.

Golf was an Olympic sport in St Louis in 1904.

The BBC reports it is one of seven sports being considered for inclusion for 2016. The others are: baseball, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, softball and squash.