DUBLIN - Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley will lead Ireland's golf team at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero in 2016.

The Olympic Council of Ireland says Thursday that McGinley has been selected as one of 17 "team leaders" who will have overall responsibility for a specific sport in Rio.

McGinley will, therefore, lead top-ranked Rory McIlroy into a major competition once again, like at the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in September when Europe beat the United States 16 1/2 - 11 1/2 .

Golf is returning to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.