“I’m very happy with the decision I made and I have no regrets about it”.
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“Speaking collectively there is no doubt that the number of withdrawals hasn’t shed golf in the best light, ” said Dawson, International Golf Federation (IGF) president.
Massaro said squash’s top players had signed a letter when it was seeking Olympic recognition before the IOC decided which sports would feature at Rio – 18 of the world’s top golfers did similar in 2009.
Spieth, 22, made a point to say the Zika virus wasn’t the only health concern that moved him to opt out, instead emphasizing overall health concerns.
While McIlroy remained unrepentant, Spieth had clearly agonised over his decision to withdraw and only made the call on Monday, the day of the Olympic deadline.
And he will have trying times watching the Games in August.
“It will loom over me throughout the Olympic Games, for sure”, Spieth said. “I think the opportunity was obviously there to be an Olympian and that to me was pretty cool”. I got into golf to win.
Rory McIlroy said Tuesday he believes golf is behind other sports in drug testing and he “welcomes” a more rigid system. “I thought about all this ahead of time”.
Asked to specify what medical advice he had received, Spieth said: “No, that’s personal”.
“But I’ll make it a goal to be at Tokyo in 2020”.
Golf has not been featured in the Olympics since 1904 in St. Louis.
Fielding a question about Zika virus cases turning up in OH and Pennsylvania, where he has played tournaments, and Texas, where he is from and resides, he stressed that it’s inaccurate to report that he withdrew because of Zika alone.
‘Not everybody’s going to understand. Nobodys going to understand what its like in my shoes.
In contrast, the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic will be staged during the men’s Olympic event, although Jordan Spieth will not defend his title after pulling out of the Games. “So I will not be playing that week”, he said.
McIlroy gets comfortable at Royal Troon.
So i s Zika the real reason?
“So working hard for it”. There’s not a whole lot of learning to do of the golf course.
“Brazil is a country of 200 million people in which fewer than 20,000 are registered golfers. I think if golf is in the Olympics and golf wants to be seen as a mainstream sport as such, it has to get in line with the other sports that test more rigorously”.
“I think golf fans really look forward to the majors. and the Ryder Cup in particular”.
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In the Olympics, only three players over the age of 23 are allowed, which would mean Messi would not be one of those players, as he needs rest after a tough, long season with Barcelona.
