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Looking ahead: Golf in the 2016 Olympics

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The 2012 Olympic Games came to a close Sunday night in London, with many of the athletes soaking up the final moments, waving to the crowd and kissing the medals hung around their necks.

Just think: In four years, when golf is included in the Olympics for the first time in more than a century, that could be Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott.

Though the format is subject to change, the competition currently will feature 60 men and 60 women in separate 72-hole stroke-play tournaments that will award gold, silver and bronze medals.

The top 15 players in the Official World Golf Ranking and Rolex World Ranking automatically qualify, but each country is allowed no more than four players if they are among the top 15. After the top 15, countries can be represented by no more than two of their highest-ranked players if not already qualified.

So, if the competition started tomorrow, and using the latest world rankings, here are some of the players in the mix to compete in the event in Rio de Janeiro.

MEN:

United States: Tiger Woods, Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner

Great Britain: Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose

South Africa: Louis Oosthuizen, Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel

Australia: Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy

Spain: Sergio Garcia, Rafael Cabrera Bello, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Alvaro Quiros

(Note: McIlroy and Graeme McDowell could represent Team Great Britain or Team Ireland.)

WOMEN:

United States: Stacy Lewis, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer

South Korea: Na Yeon Choi, Amy Yang, Sun Ju Ahn, In-Kyung Kim

Japan: Ai Miyazato, Mika Miyazato, Chie Arimura

Sweden: Anna Nordqvist, Caroline Hedwall, Maria Hjorth

Chinese Taipei: Yani Tseng

China: Shanshan Feng

Norway: Suzann Pettersen

Spain: Azahara Munoz