Gold standard

Picture courtesy of Action Images

Who is to say that in four of five years' time we haven't got another really dominant player? Maybe then it would be time to see her playing against the men.

Laura Davies
Quotes of the week

England's most successful female golfer, Laura Davies, says it is "brilliant" news that golf will be included in the Olympic Games from 2016.

The International Olympic Committee recently voted to reintroduce golf for the first time since 1904, starting in Rio de Janeiro in seven years.

And Davies expects the Olympic tournament to be on a par with golf's established four majors.

"It's absolutely brilliant," said Davies. "I don't see why there can't be a fifth major every four years."

The 46-year-old, however, concedes the sport's return to the Olympic Games has probably come too late for her.

She added: "I'll be 52 in 2016 and if there are not two better English players by then...."

Davies insists she has no thoughts of retirement and remains committed to extending a playing career that has brought more than 70 professional wins worldwide, including four major titles.

The most recent triumph came at the Australian Open last February although her 2009 season also featured the disappointment of being part of the European team that suffered a third straight Solheim Cup defeat to the United States.

Davies is the only player on either side to have been ever present since the inception of the biennial match in 1990, Europe trailing 8-3 in the series.

No captaincy ambition

And she remains determined to again be lining up for Europe when the 2011 edition takes place at the Killeen Castle Golf Resort in Ireland.

Despite her wealth of experience in the event, Davies is adamant she does not regard herself as a future captain of the European team.

"I'm not interested at all," she said. "I see myself as a player."

Davies concedes the global economic downturn has hit women's golf hard.

With sponsorship cash flowing less freely, the LPGA Tour recently announced a 2010 schedule featuring just 24 tournaments - a reduction of four from the previous year and the lightest since 1971.

But Davies remains optimistic about the future and is impressed with some of the young American players who are emerging.

"There is a very exciting generation coming through," she noted.

"Michelle (Wie)'s just won her first event, there is Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis and Morgan Pressel - lots of good young Americans and you need that (in the United States) because otherwise you lose the fans."

Wie turned professional shortly before her 16th birthday and, aided by sponsor's invitations, initially embarked on an unsuccessful attempt to play in men's events.

The Hawaiian has combined her studies at Stanford University with competing solely on the LPGA Tour in the last two years, prompting a recent upsurge in form that culminated in a maiden victory at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in November.

On Wie's attempts to mix it with the men, Davies said: "That was fun to watch for the first couple of tournaments but then it got a bit too much when she was playing badly on the men's and women's tours.

"It didn't make any sense to me."

Battle of the sexes

But Davies does not rule out golf's battle of the sexes resuming at some point, citing the example of Annika Sorenstam as someone who would not have been out of place against the men.

Sweden's Sorenstam, a 10-time major winner who retired in 2008, made one foray onto the PGA Tour during her career - missing the cut at the 2003 Colonial after rounds of 71 and 74.

"If anyone one is dominating as much as Annika was doing then fair enough - it would be interesting to see," continued Davies.

"I am convinced if Annika had played four or five tournaments in a row she would have done well.

"If anyone gets into that position, a bit like Lorena (Ochoa) last year, then it would be time to see them have a go.

"Who is to say that in four of five years' time we haven't got another really dominant player? Maybe then it would be time to see her playing against the men.

"I don't see any problem with that as you're never going to have more than one dominant (female) player at any one time."

Laura Davies was speaking on behalf of the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) which is celebrating its 25th birthday. To mark the occasion WSFF has launched a commemorative report which captures a quarter century of records from women's sport. Celebrating Silver, Going for Gold is available at www.wsff.org.uk