GOLF: Golf's major championships have thrown their support behind the sport's return to the Olympics, offering the men's and women's gold medal winners invitations to all grand slam events.

All nine majors - four of them men and five of them women - support the initiative.

Golf will be play at the Olympic games for the first time in more than a century in Rio this year.

Australia is expecting to qualify two men and two women for the Rio Games.

Based on ranking currently, those athletes are expected to be Jason Day, Adam Scott, Karrie Webb and Minjee Lee.

There are several major events between now and when the Olympic golf rankings are released on July 11.

There will be 60 men and 60 women competing in a four round tournament, the same format as other major championships.

AAP and AOC