One Olympic golf tournament down, one to go after Justin Rose took home the gold in Rio on Sunday and the womens event gets set to tee on Wednesday.So how has golfs return to the Olympics gone so far? And how could the International Olympic Committee and the International Golf Federation improve the sports in the Olympics for Tokyo in 2020? Our panel analyzes those topics and more in this weeks edition of Monday Four-Ball.1. What grade would you give golfs return to the Olympics?SportsCenter anchor Matt Barrie: C. The great finish between major championship winners Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose saved what otherwise was an average format and below-average field. Having said that, I think Sunday might have piqued the interest of some of the top players who decided not play in Rio.SportsCenter anchor Jonathan Coachman: To me, I have to give it an A-minus. The positives are obvious. Great golf course and great crowds. And I was seriously blown away by how much the players not only bought into playing for a gold medal, but bought into supporting the other events. The only reason I take a little bit off was because of what the tournament could not control -- not having all of the top players in Rio. It was great with Rose and Stenson at the top, but it could have been better. Bottom line: Its going to continue to grow.ESPN.com senior golf analyst Michael Collins: C-plus. While golf fans might have found it great to have every round of the tournament on from start to finish, having it on the same channel as every other golf tournament ultimately hurt. Wasnt the goal to bring new eyes to the game? It was great to hear how excited a player was for finishing third, which in a normal event never happens.ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig: Solid B. And thats much better than the failing grade so many expected. Missing so many of the top players hurt. Imagine the potential if any number of those players had been in Rio. But the players who were here loved it, the fans turned out, the golf course was solid, and Justin Rose provided a great ending.ESPN.com senior golf writer Jason Sobel: Based on all the doom and gloom scenarios that had been predicted ahead of time and the absence of the worlds top-four players, I thought the final product was an A-plus affair. Sure, there are still improvements which can, and will, be made for next time, but for its first time back in the Olympics in 112 years, everything about it felt like a huge success.2. What would you do different for golf in the 2020 Olympics?Barrie: At some point, the team format has to come into play. Its what makes the Ryder Cup so special. Figure out a format that brings in the team element and match play, then I think youd have a format that golfers would be interested in playing. Id also move the PGA Championship to the end of August, just before Labor Day, to avoid the schedule jam to accommodate the Olympics.Coachman: This one is easy. I want it to feel like it is a team effort. Make all four days different as twosomes. Four-ball, then foursomes, then scramble and then stroke-play on Sunday. Add it all up and you have a winner. I think that would be terrific and exciting all the way to the end. And it would make every stroke matter.Collins: Multiple medals. There should be a mixed, team, and individual event at worst. More medals and broadcast on different channels. If golf is getting the boot from the Olympics anyway, which it might in 2017, than go out with a bang.Harig: Several things. The schedule needs to be more conducive to players, who are incredibly busy. With the Games in Tokyo in late July, golfs various tours will face some of the same issues they had this year. Now they know the fallout and need to get ahead of it. Adding a team component also would add to the intrigue. All it would take is to pulling together aggregate scores for two players per country. Its still stroke play. Its still the same tournament. But that would be some added allure.Sobel: There will be a team aspect four years from now. I dont know this for sure, because nothing has been decided yet, but Id be shocked if it doesnt happen. Im not sure if itll still be stroke-play or how the teams will work or whether theyll mix genders like tennis, but I cant imagine there wont be an implementation of a team competition going forward.3. What are you expecting from the womens Olympic golf event this week?Barrie: Nine of the top 10 women in the world are competing in Rio. So my guess is youll have a much more major championship type feel to it, with the star power that decided to compete.Coachman: I am expecting a lot. Unlike the guys, most all of the top-ranked women are in Rio and it definitely helps that they got to see the men play. This course clearly brought the cream to the top and I expect the same from the ladies. They have always completely embraced anything that has to do with playing for country, whichever country that is.Collins: I expect it to start out just like any other tournament with little fanfare on other channels covering the Olympics. Im hopeful something spectacular happens that will force people watching the Games to switch over and see what all the fuss is about.Harig: This was always expected to be the more compelling event, with nearly every player fully invested. It is hard to believe it will be anything less.Sobel: I expect it to combine the drama of a major with the passion of the Solheim Cup. Unlike the men, nearly all of the qualified women have decided to compete this week. This means something to them -- and I think the best of the best will rise to the occasion.4. Whos your favorite to win the womens Olympic golf event in Rio?Barrie: Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson are the easy favorites, being ranked No. 1 and 2 in the world. But dont be surprised if the USAs Lexi Thompson sneaks her way into a gold medal as the highest ranked American in the field.Coachman: I am going with the current No. 1 player in the world, Lydia Ko. The reasons are many. She has quietly created this dominance in the big events. When they began playing for the CME Globe, Ko started using it as her own personal playground. She will do the same at the Olympics. I feel like when something new and big comes into the world game, she wants her name on it first. That will not change this week in Rio.Collins: This is one spot where the big three (Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson and Ariya Jutanugarn) should ultimately shine. Because of the windy conditions, Ill take Jutanugarn as the favorite. Her past nine starts have included four wins, a runner-up and a third-place finish.Harig: Lydia Ko. Given her record, it is difficult to pick against her.Sobel: Isnt Lydia Ko the favorite for every big womens tournament these days? Id enlist her at the top this week, but that doesnt mean shell win. Instead, give me a fiery competitor whos no stranger to international events. That sounds like Stacy Lewis to me. Paul Krause Youth Jersey . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. John Randle Youth Jersey . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. http://www.thevikingsshoponline.com/Youth-John-Randle-Vikings-Jersey/ . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. Fran Tarkenton Jersey .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. Brian ONeill Womens Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. CHICAGO -- After the San Francisco Giants dropped three out of four at Wrigley Field, Johnny Cueto was eager to face the Chicago Cubs again.The next meeting would have to be in the postseason.I hope to God we do, Cueto said through a translator. Were going to find out whos got the coconuts.Jason Heyward tied it with a single in the ninth inning and his liner to left-center in the 13th won it as the Cubs beat the Giants 3-2 on Sunday in a possible playoff preview.Anthony Rizzo led off the 13th with a single off Matt Reynolds (0-1) and went to second on Ben Zobrists groundout. Addison Russell, who had three hits, was walked intentionally before Heyward drove in his third run of the game.Isnt it beautiful? Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. We have a nice record, but were coming to play every day.Trevor Cahill (4-4) worked a perfect inning in a series in which all four games were decided by one run.The National League-leading Cubs were staring at a second straight loss when Russell led off the ninth with a double against Santiago Casilla. Russell went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Heywards single up the middle to hand Casilla his NL-high seventh blown save.Hes been throwing the ball well, manager Bruce Bochy said. Its tough to get down on somebody whos been doing a good job. Sure, hes had some hiccups, but other closers are right there with him as far as saves that have gotten away.The Giants finished with just 14 hits in the series. Their lead over the Cardinals for the first wild card was reduced to 1 1/2 games.Its fair to say we have to get some guys going, Bochy said.Each team had chances earlier in extra innings. Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman worked two scoreless innings, striking out Brandon Belt on a 102 mph fastball with two on to end the 11th.The Giants Cory Gearrin struck out Russell looking on a questionable call with a runner on second to end the 10th.The Giants appeared on their way to the win in regulation despite managing two hits thanks to sevenn strong innings from Cueto and a perfectly executed suicide squeeze.ddddddddddddEduardo Nunez doubled in the fifth, stole third then broke for home as Ehire Adrianza put down a soft bunt in front of the mound that forced John Lackey to throw to first and snapped a 1-all tie.Cueto allowed a run and struck out five.I was putting the pitches where I wanted to, he said.In his first start since Aug. 14 because of a shoulder strain, Lackey trailed 1-0 after 3 1/2 innings despite not allowing a hit.Heyward was charged with a two-base error in the second when he couldnt make a running catch of Hunter Pences fly to right-center. Pence scored the unearned run on Nunezs groundout.After the Cubs tied it when Heywards single scored Rizzo in the fourth, the Giants got their first hit an inning later on Nunezs one-out liner to the gap.Lackey, on a pitch count, was lifted after 76 pitches, allowed one earned run and one hit.That was more than I expected, honestly, Maddon said.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: Bochy didnt start SS Brandon Crawford and LF Angel Pagan with a day game Monday at Colorado. Both ended up pinch-hitting.SCARY MOMENTGiants 1B Brandon Belt stayed in after taking Rob Zastryznys 87 mph fastball of his helmet in the seventh. Belt stayed upright as his helmet flew off, then walked to first after being looked at by the trainer. Belt said he was doing OK after undergoing concussion protocol.NATHAN DEBUTRHP Joe Nathan, making his first appearance with San Francisco since the 2003 playoffs, struck out Kris Bryant in a perfect 12th.Impressive outing. He did a great job, Bochy said.UP NEXTGiants: LHP Matt Moore (9-10, 3.88 ERA) flew early to Denver and starts Monday against Rockies RHP Chad Bettis (11-7, 5.17).Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (13-7) carries the majors lowest ERA of 2.09 into Mondays start at Milwaukee against RHP Zach Davies (10-6, 4.07). ' ' '
