Tiger Woods, a 14-time major champion, welcomed the return of golf to the Olympic Games on Friday, a move that could give him another sporting world to conquer.

"I think it's great for golf," said Woods, who is in San Francisco as part of the US team taking on an International squad in the Presidents Cup match play tournament.

"It's a perfect fit for the Olympics, and I think we're all looking forward to golf getting in the Olympics."

The International Olympic Committee voted in Copenhagen on Friday to add golf to the programme for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The International Golf Federation (IGF) has promised that the world's best will take part in Olympic golf, which will see 60 players in both the men and women's competitions facing off over 72 holes.

"Everybody is very excited that golf became an Olympic sport, and we are working hard on our games so that over the next six years we are able to make the team and represent our country in the Olympics," said American Phil Mickelson.

"I think this is important for the game of golf," Mickelson added. "It's important for the growth of the game of golf and it's exciting what it will mean on a worldwide level for this great game."

Woods, who is in pursuit of golf great Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major titles, said he wasn't quite sure what it would mean to be part of the Olympics.

"We as golfers have never had it, so this will be a new experience for golfers who get to participate in the Olympics," he said. "Having talked to other athletes who have gotten a chance to experience the Olympics, they have absolutely loved it and had the greatest time."

America's British Open champion Stewart Cink was pleased with the decision, even if he never ends up playing in the Games.

"It's great for golf," Cink said. "I don't know if it's great for me or not because I'll be 43 and I might be over the hill by then."

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem also hailed the decision as a turning point for global golf.

"First and foremost, I think the trajectory of growth for the game globally will be significantly enhanced," he said.

"When you consider that over a hundred countries will now invest in the sport to grow the game, to be competitive in the Games in this particular sport, will catapult the level of growth, particularly in Asia, Eastern Europe, also in South America and other areas that have not had the level of growth historically."

Finchem insisted that golf is an ideal addition to the Olympics.

"It's a growing sport and it's a sport that's reaching kids. It's a sport of diversity. It's a sport that does very well on television," he said.

"It's also a sport that corporate sponsors are very supportive of, like the image of, and like to be associated with. All of those things played to our favor."

Finchem praised the work of the Royal and Ancient's Peter Dawson and Ty Votaw, executive director of the IGF's Olympic Golf Committee, in lobbying for the game's inclusion.

But even though Finchem believes golf is ideally suited to the Games, he admitted he wasn't 100 percent confident golf would get the vote.

"I was a little nervous, just because I didn't expect Chicago to get 18 votes," he said of the US city's stunning first-round ouster in voting for the Olympic host city last week.