Spieth’s decision means none of the top four in the world ranking – they have won six of the last eight majors – will be in Rio when golf is part of the Olympic program for the first time since St. Louis in 1904.
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The world’s top four players – Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy – have pulled out of the Games citing health concerns from the mosquito-born Zika virus which can cause birth defects in infants.
As for the Olympics, Spieth cited health concerns as the reason he decided not to participate saying it was one of the hardest decisions he’s ever had to make. When asked which Olympic sports he might prefer to watch instead, McIlroy mentioned track and field, swimming and diving.
“Whether it be coming to their houses and doing blood and urine, I think drug testing in golf is still quite far behind some of the other sports”, McIlroy said. “I got into golf to win championships”.
The Northern Irishman, now ranked No. 4 in the world, gave his frank assessment of golf’s drug-testing program as the sport approaches its return to the Olympics for the first time in 112 years. McIlroy followed him into the room and blasted golf officials who for the last seven years have preached the Olympics as an opportunity to grow the game. So all of that together, I think my game in general over the course of the next hopefully 20 to 30 years out here will show that this style of golf, I think plays to my strengths. So I will be going back there, I just dont think its appropriate this year..
Top male golfers have done the image of their sport a disservice in withdrawing en masse from the Olympics over the Zika virus, federation chief Peter Dawson said on Monday.
He added: “I’ve undergone Olympic testing once this year and that was the Friday of the US Open. I’ve got four major championships, and I’d love to add to that tally – just as those guys would love to add to their one or two majors that they have and just keep going”. When I watch the opening ceremonies, thats going to be a big bummer.
The four-time major victor, who said during his presser that he had become more conservative and tentative as he’d gotten older, expected to play the Postage Stamp hole exactly that way.
The men’s golf competition will be held the second week of the games. Contrary to what it seems like in the media, golf in the Olympics will go on.
Insisting he had no regrets, McIlroy asserted: “I don’t feel like I’ve let the game down at all”.
“The only argument I have is maybe families are not on the cards in the very near future for some of the ladies playing”, said Rose.
I dont think it would be an appropriate move to play that week, so I will not be playing that week, he said. IOC President Thomas Bach says worldwide Olympic officials will try to find “the right balance between collective responsibility and individual justice” in dealing with Russian doping ahead of the games in Rio de Janeiro. I just couldn’t make a decision and… I know, as a player, those are my main motivations.
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“I hope I can have a chance at that course again but I hope I have the Claret Jug in my possession before that time”.
