Jordan Spieth this morning cited "health concerns" as why he withdrew his name from the U.S. Olympic golf team and said opting out of the Rio Games was the "hardest decision I have ever had to make in my life." Speaking at a press conference leading into this week's British Open, Spieth said, "I’m a huge believer in Olympic golf. I am a huge believer in playing for your country. ... This year, I just had to try and weigh a risk that does not present itself every year. ... I just felt this was the right move for me." He added he will "make it a goal to be at Tokyo in 2020." Spieth several times denied fears of the Zika virus were the main reason for his choice, saying, "I feel that many if not all of you would have made the same decision I made if you were in my shoes.” He acknowledged that his withdrawal could "certainly impact" golf's inclusion on the Olympic program after '20. Spieth: "It will affect it. I don’t know if it will affect it to the point that they don’t bring it back. ... I certainly hope that they vote to keep it, because, again, I believe it should be there." But he stopped short of feeling any responsibility to play to help the game out globally. Spieth: "I don’t feel like I have to carry the torch ... for the sport or anyone else. This is bigger than that for me personally" (Golf Channel, 7/12). Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy, who last month announced he would not play for Ireland in the Games, this morning said, "I don’t think it was as difficult a decision for me as it was for Jordan.” McIlroy: "I don’t feel like I’ve let the game down at all. ... I got into golf to win. I didn’t get into golf to get other people into the game" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 7/12).
REASONS NOT TO GO: Spieth joins Dustin Johnson as qualified U.S. players who will not play in Rio. They, along with Olympic participants Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler, last month met with USA Golf officials to talk about the Games, and Golf Channel's Rex Hoggard noted one issue that "stood out was security concerns." Hoggard: "USA Golf and the PGA Tour basically met every request that the players made. They wanted armed security guards, they got it. They wanted armored cars, they got it. Which leads one to believe that this really came down to the Zika virus” (“Morning Drive,” Golf Channel, 7/12). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Karen Crouse writes Spieth's withdrawal "is surprising, not just because of his initial enthusiasm for the Games, but also because he is a global ambassador for Coca-Cola, a longtime Olympic sponsor" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/12). GOLFCHANNEL.com's Will Gray wrote this is "arguably the biggest loss for golf's return to the Games, and somewhat surprising given Spieth's earlier comments and his sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola, which pumps large amounts of sponsorship dollars into the Olympics every other year." If the top four players in the world withdrawing "isn't a worst-case scenario, it has to be pretty close" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 7/11).
FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN? USA TODAY's Steve DiMeglio writes players pulling out is "providing a nail in the coffin that is men's golf" in the Olympics. Eighteen players in total have decided to skip the Games, and In't Golf Federation President Peter Dawson said there is "no doubt that the number of withdrawals hasn't shed golf in the best light, and we have to accept that" (USA TODAY, 7/12). Golf Channel's John Cook said Spieth is "probably the most impactful WD from the Olympics" because he is the "young, fresh face of U.S. golf" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 7/12). The GUARDIAN's Ewan Murray writes it is "difficult to deviate from the notion" that Spieth has "inflicted a fatal blow on golf’s alliance with the Olympic Games" (GUARDIAN, 7/12). GOLFWEEK's Alex Miceli wrote golf in the Olympics now "will be no bigger than a middle-of-the-road PGA Tour or European Tour event." Eight of the top 15 players in the world will compete, but half of the players in the event "are ranked 100th or lower" (GOLFWEEK.com, 7/11). The AP's Paul Newberry wrote this will be a tourney "roughly equivalent to the John Deere Classic." Golf is "heading to Rio as an afterthought, sure to face more questions about why it's even there than who's winning gold, silver and bronze" (AP, 7/11). The AP's Doug Ferguson noted golf is assured of being part of the '20 Tokyo Games, but the IOC "votes next year on whether golf and other events stay beyond that." Dawson said that he "felt certain the IOC would consider all things Rio when it meets next year." Dawson: "We're always concerned, but we're working damned hard to put our best foot forward. We have a lot of professional people in golf, and you can guarantee the sport will be shown in its best light" (AP, 7/11).
A DIFFERENT MOMENT IN TIME: In London, Reid & Ziegler note golf's return to the Olympics was secured in '09 after a "number of top players had indicated their enthusiasm for taking part." That so many have "now turned their backs on the event ... could lead to the sport being kicked out again" after the IOC carries out its formal review (London TIMES, 7/12). The NATIONAL POST's Cam Cole notes golf's approval in '09 was earned "largely on the shoulders of the generational phenomenon that was Tiger Woods, with assists from players" like Colin Montgomerie and Annika Sorenstam. None of those players will be in Rio for various reasons, and a large number of players who "dominate the game now weren’t even professionals then." They have "bigger fish to fry, are making scads of money, and have no desire to cram yet another event into the middle of three major championships and the FedEx Cup" (NATIONAL POST, 7/12).
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE: NBC's Mike Tirico stressed Olympic golf needs "some patience here." He said, "When you win an Olympic gold medal, it crosses you into a different stratosphere in sports. For the golfers, it’s just a matter of getting used to it. Maybe in 2020 it will have a different resonance for the athletes" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 7/11). NBC Sports Group Chair Mark Lazarus said, "It's surprising and disappointing that so many male golfers -- uniquely male golfers -- have decided not to participate." NBC golf analyst David Feherty added, "I think 50 or 75 years from now, people won't remember who didn't play in the 2016 Olympics. They will just remember who was a good medalist" (USA TODAY, 7/12).
TWITTER REAX: ESPNW's Mechelle Voepel: "I'm not ripping top PGA Tour players; they don't 'need' Olympics. Each of their majors is already a huge, lucrative, well-covered event. ... LPGA players understandably see more benefits for them/tour participating in the Olympics. So they are really excited about it." Global Golf Post's Ron Green Jr.: "No Day, Spieth, Johnson and McIlroy (among others) at the Olympics. No problem with their decisions. It's about Rio more than anything." SI's Jon Wertheim: "Striking to compare players' enthusiasm for Olympic golf vs. tennis. at one point only top 50 woman not entered in rio: Flavia Pennetta." Author Shane Ryan: "Hilarious to me that the Rio course is harming a nature preserve, and that's literally the least negative story out of Olympic golf."
