RIO DE JANEIRO -- Padraig Harrington has been a staunch supporter of Olympic golf, and on the eve of the 72-hole mens tournament, he opined that a number of high-profile players who elected to skip the event will rue their decision.The players who are here couldnt be more positive and couldnt be enjoying it more, Harrington said Wednesday at the Olympic Golf Course, where golf returns Thursday after a 112-year absence. I sense, as well, the players at home are pretty quiet on social media. You sense that maybe some of them would like to be here. Certainly I think some of them would definitely like to be here and they are missing out.Theres no doubt they are missing out, thats for sure. You just dont know where this game is going to lead and where they will be in four years time or eight years time or whether golf will be in the Olympics in eight years time.I cant say its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because were obviously in the 2020 Games, but it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a lot of people.The run-up to golfs return to the Olympics was filled with negativity; no sport saw more withdrawals among its players.The top four in the world -- Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy -- all elected to skip the Games. Other big names such as Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen and Graeme McDowell also elected to stay home.Harrington, 45, got a spot when McIlroy, Shane Lowry and McDowell all elected not to play for Ireland. And he was thrilled at the prospect, having taken a role in pitching golf to the International Olympic Committee when it was being considered in 2009.Back then, Harrington was ranked seventh in the world; he is now 128th.I absolutely thought I would be here, he said. But thats the nature of sport, when youre at the top of your game, you dont believe its ever going to change. You think its going to last forever. Hindsight says thats not true.It would be interesting about the athletes who turned down coming here this time. Some of them might not get the opportunity again. Youd be surprised how it does change. For me, clearly this is the opportunity of a lifetime. I feel good about my golf and where Im at with my golf, logically, will I get another chance in 2020?So this is an awfully big deal that Ive got an opportunity, and Im keen to take it.Harringtons wife and two sons made the journey to Rio, and they plan to stay next week to take in other Olympic sports.All the golfers here, everybody here is loving it, he said. I dont think Ive seen as much interaction between the players. Like at a major, there wouldnt be interaction between the players at all. Everybody is really going about their business. Here were going about our business, but everybody is talking about what they have seen and whats been happening and what they went to. Custom Belgium Jerseys . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. Mousa Dembele Jersey . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. http://www.soccerbelgiumteamonline.com/Thomas-Vermaelen-UEFA-European-Belgium-Jersey/ . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. Kevin De Bruyne Jersey . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. Leander Dendoncker Belgium Jersey . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. The second day of OGNs Overwatch APEX was filled with dashes, shurikens, assassinations, and powerful Genji players.Kicking things off was the return of Noh Gamsu Yeong-jin, formerly a player on Fnatics League of Legends team, now on South Koreas CONBOX T6. They went head-to-head against South Korean team Mighty Storm, but the only thing mighty was how fast theyd fall to the floor at the hands of T6s Cho MyungHoon Sung Min in a 3-0 sweep.The first game between T6 and Mighty Storm was sloppy and back-and-forth, reaching almost 99 percent on control maps from both teams. But on Numbani and Temple of Anubis, T6 shattered the floor beneath Mighty Storm. Myunghoon could be seen sniping people with Meis icicles or dropping down into the middle of the enemy team on Genji only to kill them all one by one.REUNITED is a renowned and powerful team from Europe who went through a bit of a rough spot,, as they failed to make it out of the group stages of the Overwatch Open that took place in the months prior to OGNs Overwatch APEX.dddddddddddd. After replacing Finley Kyb Adlisi for Stefan ONIGOD Fiskerstrand, REUNITED were hoping to start fresh in South Korea and reestablish their dominance against South Korean team RuNAWAY.Haksal, the Korean word for massacre (also aptly the name of one of the players on RuNAWAY), is the only thing that can be used to describe this set, as RuNAWAY took an easy 3-0 against REUNITED. With every hero respawn, with every encounter, Haksal took to the stage with Genji and decimated the opposition.On Oct. 12, BK Stars will face off against MVP Space, and REUNITED get their chance of redemption as they take on KongDoo Panthera. ' ' '
