WHAT SHOULD you read into the sight of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell – both born and raised in Northern Ireland – walking behind the Tricolour on the eve of golf’s World Cup in China?

Not much, if the truth be known. For, as Talking Heads might have put it, it’s the “same as it ever was”.

Professionals representing Ireland in the World Cup have traditionally played under the Tricolour, on the basis that golf is an all-island sport.

And although the Golfing Union of Ireland, the amateur governing body, uses a flag which incorporates the insignia of each province – Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster – for international competitions, it is accepted practice in the World Cup, a professional event, for the flag of the Republic to be used.

Indeed, this is the third time in four stagings of the event that the Ireland team has comprised two players from Northern Ireland: in 2007, Michael Hoey teamed-up with Gareth Maybin, while in 2009, when the event was last held, McIlroy and McDowell finished runners-up.

The issue of whether McIlroy, McDowell or any player from Northern Ireland will represent Ireland or Britain when golf is played at the Olympic Games in Brazil in 2016 is an entirely different issue.

Eligible players are likely to be allowed choose when the time comes.