Why top golf professionals have stayed away from Rio Olympics

In 2009 the International Olympics Committee included golf and rugby in the 2016 Rio Games. Rugby was last played at the Summer Games in 1924 but golf has been in the cold for over 100 years — since 1904.

The likes of Tiger Woods and other top golf professionals have in the past indicated that they would play at the Olympics. “There are millions of young golfers worldwide who would be proud to represent their country,” Woods said.

“It would be an honour for anyone who plays this game to become an Olympian.”

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus applauded the inclusion of golf in the Olympics, saying the impact would be felt all over the word.

“People of all walks of life will be inspired to play the game of golf, and play for sports’ highest recognition. For all sports, that has been a gold medal,” he said. It was agreed that golf would be played as an individual sport, 72-holes of golf over four days in the stroke-play format with 60 men and women participating.

Fast forward to 2016.

The high spirit among golfers in 2009 has unfortunately ebbed and many top professionals skipped Rio 2016 citing the Zika virus.

World number one, Jason Day, pulled out of the games as did Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Vijay Singh and Rory McIlroy.

In total 14 top male professional golfers have skipped Rio. Among women, South African Lee-Anne Pace has also declined to participate in the games saying her family comes first.

The first round of golf at the games was played yesterday, with the second round being staged today, the third and fourth rounds will be played tomorrow and Sunday.

The question being asked is: Does golf belong at the Olympics? Will an Olympic gold medal ever equal a golf Major? As the score sheet stands, obviously not.

Gold medal

Those who were opposed to the entry of golf in the Olympics are slowly getting validated; the games and a gold medal aren’t very important to top professionals.

Golf’s position was made worse by comments by American pro-golfer Matt Kuchar who, while playing in Rio a week ago, didn’t seem aware of the format of play.

Should the IOC and golf bosses have perhaps changed the format from an individual to team contest?
Should the competition have included amateur and not professional golfers?

The Olympics are the biggest stage for any sport, at least that is the theory. But for golf this mold has been shattered.

Golf’s top players are not in Rio and the message is perhaps clear — golf does not need the Olympics and the Olympics do not need golf!

The President of the International Golf Federation, Peter Dawson, stated the obvious when he said, “the absence of top players in the Olympics will not help golf’s case for staying in the games.”

So will golf make the cut for the 2020 games? Or will it endure another 112 year absence from the Olympics?