“I got into golf to win championships and win majors”.
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The police officers and soldiers will arrive to the city just a few days before the Olympic Games begin and will patrol the streets and sports venues of Rio throughout the games. But golf is a fickle game, and players such as Woods, who remain on top for years at a time, don’t come along very often. He also refused to confirm what medical advice he had been given to help him reach such a decision. Sportsman are, largely, selfish and driven individuals.
But let’s not feel sorry for a group of pampered players who fly around the world on private jets, their every whim catered to, their bank accounts brimming with millions of dollars.
“He said, “No worries. you’re just going to be jealous when I get that gold”.
“Yeah, I mean the bad publicity is unfortunate, obviously”, said No. 11-ranked Justin Rose, the English 2013 U.S. Open champion who considers the Olympics a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” and will represent Britain.
“I’ll probably watch the Olympics, but I’m not sure golf will be one of the events I watch”.
Dawson said he felt certain the International Olympic Committee would consider all things Rio when it meets next year.
The 22-year-old American said the Zika virus wasn’t the only health issue that impacted his decision to become the 18th player to turn down the trip to Rio, where golf will be played in the Olympics for the first time since 1904.
Told that Spieth had described his decision not to play in Rio as the most hard he had ever made, McIlroy responded: “Honestly, I don’t think it was as hard a decision for me as it was for him”. I’m a huge believer in playing for your country, showing I absolutely look forward to Summer and Winter Olympics. They’re as passionate about the Olympics as I am. It’s the most exciting sporting event for me to watch on TV.
“I think there are times in your career where you know you need to be single-minded and maybe there are times of your career where it’s time to give back”.
The decision whether to keep golf as an Olympic sport will be taken next year.
The four-time major victor who was among the first of the luminaries to scratch from Rio, Rory McIlroy, was dismissive of the theory that all the dropouts are sullying golf’s image. “I think because of the uncertainty of what’s happening in Rio, it’s poor timing for the return of the sport”. Spieth asked himself aloud.
“I think with experience sometimes there’s a little bit of memories that sort of stick with you and stick in your head”.
“It’s frustration more than anything that that’s how he feels and he doesn’t see it as the pinnacle of their sport as so numerous athletes do”.
Spieth spent most of his time in front of the media explaining why he made a last-minute call to withdraw on Monday, just ahead of the deadline. But he refused to reveal any more.
Eighteen eligible men, based on Monday’s world ranking, withdrew from the Olympics. But for those still citing Zika there are still raised eyebrows.
“I can understand why people are sceptical [as to Spieth’s motives]”.
Either way, Spieth said he would be watching.
“Whether it’s the best idea to have the top professionals there, whether it should be amateurs where it’s the pinnacle of the amateur game, like boxing is, then you move onto the professional level, I don’t know”. He was the most dominant golfer in the game, the guy everyone else was chasing as Tiger Woods faded from view. “I will be, I’m sure at times, pretty upset that I’m not down there. Therefore, there’s nothing I can do about it except go on and try to again focus on this week”.
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McIlroy is the only one who has not won a Major for two years and is in danger of being Ringo sitting at the back while his rivals hog the limelight at the front of the stage.
