The Royal & Ancient governing body says the Riserva Uno site has been confirmed by Rio's Organising Committee as the venue for golf, which is returning to the Olympic programme for the first time since 1904.

"Within the last three weeks or so the Rio organising committee and the city of Rio confirmed that Riserva Uno will be the site," said R&A chief executive Peter Dawson.

"It is a site close to the Olympic Village and quite close to the sea in the Barra area of Rio.

"A course will be designed by an architect yet to be determined.

"In order to be in time we need to get the architect appointed, his designs approved and start breaking ground in 2012 in order to make the timetable for a 2015 test event."

Both Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam have written to the International Golf Federation to request that they be considered as architects.

Nicklaus, the most successful male golfer in history, having won a total of 18 majors throughout his career, has been directly involved with the design of 271 courses across the world, while his company, Nicklaus Design has 341 courses open for play in 34 countries.

The intention is that Nicklaus and Swede Sorenstam, who has won ten majors, would collaborate on the strategy of each hole.

As well as individual strokeplay events, Dawson says a team event could also be added to the schedule, although a decision will not be made on that until after London 2012 following discussions with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"The format remains as per the Olympic bid for golf which was 60 men in one competition, 60 women in another, 72-hole strokeplay," said Dawson.


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