Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, the new Ricoh Women’s British Open Champion, has warmly welcomed the International Olympic Committee’s decision to recommend golf as an event for the 2016 Olympic Games.  

And the first Scot to win a women’s major admits that representing Team GB on the Olympic stage in seven years’ time will be a career goal. 

“Golf in the Olympics is really great,” said Matthew, who flies to America tomorrow for her fifth Solheim Cup appearance in Illinois next week. “In fact, it seems long overdue.
“I think it will be great for grass roots golf, and will help the game to grow all around the world. 

“I also think it should hopefully improve the funding within the sport. At he moment, there is a huge gap in funding for the transition from amateur to professional level. Hopefully, this will now improve.

“I would love to be an Olympian. It would be an honour to represent Great Britain again. I played in three Curtis Cups and each one was special. The 2016 Olympics will definitely be a long term goal. 

“I certainly believe it is possible for me to be still at that level in 7 years’ time – you just need to look at Juli Inkster as an example of how golfers can keep going well into their 40s.”

At 49, Inkster is in the US team for the Solheim Cup starting at Rich Harvest Farms at Sugar Grove on Friday. Matthew will be 46 at the time of the 2016 Olympics.