DETROIT, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - The Olympics are driven by the motto 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' and not smooth-talking marketers, endorsements deals and television ratings, says reigning Masters champion Trevor Immelman.

Mega money sports like golf, basketball and tennis should not be part of the Olympics because they transcend the basic principles the Games were founded on Immelman said on Tuesday.

'I don't think golf should be an Olympic sport,' said the South African.

'I don't think basketball should be an Olympic sport. I don't think tennis should be an Olympic sport.

'To me the Olympics were founded on amateur sport. Guys go in there and train for four years putting their whole lives on the line to win a gold medal.'

Immelman, of Cape Town, is in Detroit this week to try and win his second major of the year at the 90th PGA Championship.

PGA Tour executive Ty Votaw was appointed last month to lead an effort to have golf included in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The outspoken Immelman thinks money-driven sports should be kept out of the Olympics.

'If I was running the Olympics I would go back to the way it was originally,' he said. 'Gymnastics, weight lifting, swimming and track and field and marathons. That's to me what the Olympics is.

'It is not about tennis or golf or anything like that.

'Those are three sports where guys are getting paid a lot of money to play and compete week in and week out. It is so professional.'

Immelman's high ideals aren't shared by everyone on the PGA Tour.

'I think having golf an Olympic sport is exponentially more important to the game of golf than the majors,' Phil Mickelson said Tuesday.

'And the reason for that is it would bring 168 different countries and their Olympic foundation and the revenues that would be going towards the growth of the game of golf.

'They Olympics would bring us to new markets on a worldwide scale and I can't imagine how big the game can become in countries like China and India.'

Jim Furyk agrees with his fellow American Mickelson but thinks participation should be restricted to amateur golfers.

'I would like to see golf in the Olympics,' Furyk said. 'Just because I think it is a worldwide sport.

'I think the criticism is that not enough countries play it. But I think it is played all around the world and we have so many great players from around the world.

'So if it was for our amateur golfers I think it would be great. For our professional golfers I am hesitant. But I still would like to see golf in the Olympics.'