RIO DE JANEIRO -- The game of golf has long suffered with issues of participation and growth. The time it takes to play, the cost, the difficulty ... all are factors in the stagnant or declining numbers.Numerous initiatives have been put in place to help change the narrative, some of which might or might not succeed. How golfs participation in the Olympic Games is supposed to change anything has always been viewed with a skeptical eye.Rory McIlroy made headlines last month at The Open when he said he didnt get into golf to try and grow the game as he was explaining why he was at peace with his decision to skip the Olympics.But a lot of the discussion surrounding that has missed the point as it relates to the Olympics. When the mens Olympic tournament begins Thursday morning a few miles from the hysteria of the Olympic Village, the hope is that a new audience will be exposed to the game -- predominantly in places where an Olympic medal causes young people to dream.I think it already has helped grow the game and it will, said Henrik Stenson, the reigning Open champion, who is from Sweden. Being part of the Olympic Games, I think golf has real federations, and golf in certain countries have already been getting funds and have been starting to look at it differently.I think it already has grown the game. Us here playing is going to be viewed on the world stage, and thats going to be a different thing for the players who are now 14 and sitting back home watching this. I never saw my golfing heroes play in the Olympics, but youre going to have youngsters in different parts of the world watching us play, and they most likely are going to dream about being here one day in the future.That is the main point the International Golf Federation -- a group of leaders from various governing bodies -- has been preaching. That and the fact that being an Olympic sport will allow for funding to help nurture players.Peter Dawson, the president of the IGF, said that since 2009, when golf was given a spot in these Games, the number of worldwide golf federations has grown by more than 40, to 147.The fact that golf is in the Olympics means that the national Olympic committee of that country must have a national federation for the Olympic sport, Dawson said. Hence one is formed. Hence golf starts to move in that country. Thats what is happening. They get national backing and recognition.Dawson cited the former Eastern bloc countries as being the most noticeable ones to have set up federations.I dont think anybody can argue [against the point] that golf in the Olympics clearly is going to bring more profile, brings more funding into so many countries, said Irelands Padraig Harrington. Im a three-time major winner. If I went to the population of the world and said I was a three-time major winner, at least 90 percent of that population would not have an iota what I was [talking] about.If I went to the rest of the world and said I was an Olympic gold-medal winner, youd probably find that only 10 percent wouldnt know and it would be reverse; 90 percent would know what an Olympic gold-medal winner is. Its massive for golf in the Olympics. Its massive in so many countries.I think people who are thinking it doesnt make a difference, golf being in the Olympics, are living in a very Westernized world where golf is a big sport. But its such a small percentage of the people in the world who would recognize it. Whereas being an Olympic sport, it automatically jumps a barrier that includes it in so many state programs, state funding, which can only be good for the game. Can only be great for the game.Harrington, 45, has a unique perspective. He was part of the delegation that went to Switzerland in 2009 to lobby the International Olympic Committee for golfs inclusion in the Games. He was joined by Italys Matteo Manassero, who was 16 at the time, along with Suzann Pettersen and Michelle Wie, the only one among the foursome who did not qualify for the Games.I think in a lot of ways, golf really won when we were voted in, said Ty Votaw, vice president of the IGF and an executive with the PGA Tour. Since that time, youve seen national federations around the world increase. That wouldnt have happened if golf wasnt an Olympic sport.That growth happened over the past seven years. Thats just one example. You wouldnt have had a flag-bearer from Israel or Bangladesh or Paraguay be a golfer if we werent in the Olympics.There is also the hope that golf will grow in places such as Brazil, which has some 200 million people but only about 20,000 golfers, or .001 percent of the population. The Olympic Golf Course is just the third in the city and the first that is public.The Olympics served as an inspiration for the first public golf course in an entire country in Brazil, Votaw said. And you look at the players who withdrew, primarily fully developed golf-playing nations like South Africa, Australia, Ireland and the United States.This was never about growing the sport in those countries in a way that it could in other countries. I think there will be young people in the United States and the U.K. and Ireland and Australia who will be inspired by what they see here. And there might be additional people brought to the game. But because they are fully developed golf-playing nations, the trajectory of growth isnt going to be nearly as steep as it would be in India if Anirban Lahiri wins a bronze medal or a silver medal or a gold medal. That was the real reason. Cheap Nike Zoom Shoes China . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Cheap Nike Zoom Shoes Free Shipping .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. http://www.cheapnikezoom.com/ . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Nike Zoom Shoes On Sale . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. Cheap Nike Zoom Shoes Free Shipping Worldwide . 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. DALLAS -- While Adam Cracknell is one of the newcomers for the Dallas Stars, he knew Antoine Roussel wanted the puck.Roussel scored the tie-breaking goal on the next shift, and only 22 seconds after Andrew Coglianos second goal for Anaheim had tied the season opener early in the third period, and Dallas went on to a 4-2 victory over the Ducks on Thursday night.Rous made a good yell, I knew he was backdoor, and I just whacked it over there, and hes a guy thats going to work hard for that puck, Cracknell said. And he puts it in ... and we get that lead right back.Cracknell later scored a goal that included a secondary assist from Roussel on the Stars third line.If you look at the scoresheet tonight, it was some of their foot soldiers, Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said.Lauri Korpikoski, another newcomer, and Stephen Johns also scored for the Stars, and Antti Niemen stopped 33 shots -- 16 in a strange first period.Antti was excellent, coach Lindy Ruff said. That first period, we had some bad decisions, gave up some odd-numbered rushes, made some uncommon bad decisions, gave up three 2-on-1s where he made real good saves.Anaheim finished the first period with a 17-1 shots on goal advantage, and spent 8 minutes on the power play. But the game was tied 1-1 with Johns scoring on Dallas only shot before Cogliano had a short-handed goal.They came out flying. I think we were just a little too wound up, all pretty juiced up and excited, Johns said. In the second and third, we settled down and played our system and got back to the way we know how to play.Cogliano had a breakaway after an open-ice turnover by Jason Spezza, and scored on the rebound after his initial shot ricocheted off Niemi.I got lucky. ... I kind of knew he wanted to go across the ice, I got a stick on it and made a shot and was able to pick up the rebound, Cogliano said.Ducks goalie John Gibson had 16 saves in the opener matching the Westeern Conferences two defending division champions.dddddddddddd.The Stars had a conference-high 109 points while winning the Central Division before losing in the second round of the playoffs to the St. Louis Blues. Anaheim was the Pacific Division champs, but went back to a familiar coach after being ousted in the first round by Nashville.Carlyle, who led the Ducks to their only Stanley Cup title in 2007, replaced Bruce Boudreau nearly five years after being fired.They scored three goals right from in tight. So we were lax on that coverage. And we were 0 for 5 on our power play, Carlyle said after his first game back. These are the frustrating ones, when you work hard and you do the things that can give yourself a chance, and then youre lax in the area where you cant be lax.Game notes The Stars are sticking with their two-goalie system. Niemi got the starting nod in the opener over Kari Lehtonen. Before the Stars lost in the second round of the playoffs to the St. Louis Blues, both won 25 games last regular season. ... On the helmets of Stars players were decals representing the badges of five officers slain in downtown Dallas this summer. Family members of two of the officers participated in the pregame ceremonial puck drop. The arena is only a few blocks from where the officers were shot by a lone gunman on July 7. ... Korpikoski just joined the Stars on Monday, when the eight-year NHL veteran signed a $1 million, one-year contract after being released from his professional tryout with the Calgary Flames. ... The Stars started the season with forwards Ales Hemsky (groin), Cody Eakin (knee) and Mattias Janmark (knee) on injured reserve.UP NEXTDucks: Continue their season-opening five-game road trip at Pittsburgh on Saturday.Stars: Play at Colorado on Saturday night. 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