First Adam Scott. Then Charl and Louis. Now Rory and G-Mac. If you’ve lost track of which golfers have withdrawn themselves from consideration for the XXXI Olympiad in Brazil next month, well, we don’t blame you. One scratch seems to lead another, and the way some top players have been chirping (including your world No. 1), you shouldn’t be surprised to see more of them say “thanks, but no thanks” in the coming days and weeks. The RSVP list is hard to keep up with, but fear not, Olympic golf fanatics, we’ve compiled a handy-dandy reference guide for who’s in, who’s out, and who’s still sitting on the fence with less than 50 days until the event begins. We’ll update this list as more players commit or back out, so be sure and check back often.
ALL IN: BRING ON THE GAMES!
Bubba Watson (Nationality: USA, Olympic Ranking: 5)
“I can’t wait. My wife played professional basketball and she missed out on the Olympics because of a knee injury the one time she had a chance to make the team. … So for me, it’s an amazing sporting event that I get to be inside the ropes at. I get to see some of the athletes I’ve always wanted to see. I get to go to some of the events I’ve always wanted to watch and then I get to play in it.”
Henrik Stenson (Sweden, Rank: 7)
“I’m really looking forward to the Olympics. I think it’s going to be a great experience. And if I could myself and my family and my country by winning a medal, that be awesome.”
Justin Rose (Great Britain, Rank: 9)
“I’m all over it. I’m really excited about it. I’m going to go down there and treat it as a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m going to take in the Opening Ceremonies and try to feel like I’m part of a bigger team — Team GB.”
Sergio Garcia (Spain, Rank: 11)
“I’m really looking forward to the Opening Ceremonies, walking with the flag and the whole team from Spain. I think it will be amazing. … To see so many different sports in the same spot is just amazing. I hope to watch some track and field, some tennis. And there’s the whole atmosphere at the Olympics, meeting great athletes in other sports in the Olympic Village. I can’t wait.”
Byeong-hun An (South Korea, Rank: 14)
“Hopefully, I’ll get one of the medals. It would be nice if it’s gold. It’s one better than [An’s parents, both of whom won medals in table tennis in the 1988 Games; his mother won a silver and a bronze, his father took bronze].”
Danny Lee (New Zealand, Rank: 17)
“It will mean so much for me. Hopefully, I will find a good partner and hopefully we do our best and win the gold medal there. It will be so much fun going there and playing as a New Zealand golfer.”
Martin Kaymer (Germany, Rank: 33)
“I think [the Olympics] are even a little bit more of a priority than the majors. … With the majors you have four chances every year, whereas in the Olympics you only have one chance every four years. … I will take the Olympics as seriously as the majors, but I think there will be more emotion in the Olympics.” (In May, after several players had withdraw themselves from consideration, Kaymer told Golf.com: “It makes me wonder how serious is it really, and why is everyone pulling out? But I would think it wouldn’t change my opinion of going there.”)
Graham DeLaet (Canada, Rank: 41)
“It would be special. This is the first time in over a hundred years that golf is back in the Olympics and I want to be there.”
Camilo Villegas (Colombia, Rank: 51)
“It would be a huge honor for me to represent my country there. I’ve been kind of dreaming of being at the Olympic opening ceremony, that would be pretty cool. The very first thing that I thought was that if I happen to compete at the Olympics, I want to stay in the Olympic village … I want to experience the whole gig, the opening ceremony, everything.”
Matt Kuchar (USA, Rank: 3rd reserve for U.S.)
“The Olympics is something that I think every kid dreams about doing at one stage. Awfully exciting now that golf is actually part of the Olympics again, that my sport has a chance.”
UNDECIDED, EXHIBITING SOME DOUBT
Jordan Spieth (USA, Rank: 2)
[At the U.S. Open at Oakmont last week a reporter suggested Spieth was looking forward to Rio and that he would be in field.] Said Spieth: “You’re putting words in my mouth, sir. I said, ‘pending scheduling changes.’ I’m not sure where I’ll play next [week]. You just never know. … Right now, I’m pretty confident with what we’ve heard from not only the PGA Tour but our personal outreach, and I think being an Olympian is just an absolute tremendous honor. … [But] do I think being an Olympian outweighs any significant health threat? No. If I thought that the threat was significant, I certainly would not go.”
Dustin Johnson (USA, Rank: 3)
“The last time we talked about it he was full steam ahead,” Johnson’s agent David Winkle told GOLF.com. “There was a time a couple months back when he had some real concerns, but he seems to have moved beyond those and is comfortable with going. But, who knows? He could call me today and [withdraw].”
Rickie Fowler (USA, Rank: 6)
“I’m definitely excited about the opportunity. But I think we want to make sure that we do our homework and make sure that we feel safe about going down there both on the security reasons and the health reasons, and make sure that everything’s taken care of. That’s our main focus right now. … I’d love to have the opportunity to go down there but we don’t know for sure yet.”
Danny Willett (Great Britain, Rank: 8)
Willett says he and his wife, Nicole, are “monitoring” the Zika situation. “It’s not great, is it? There’s going to be 500,000 people watching the Olympics and you have 11,000 athletes right in the heart of where it’s at. If it turns out that it would be a massive threat to myself or [Nicole] or to the little man [their infant], then I probably wouldn’t go. Family comes first. But as it stands at the minute, I think everything should be OK.”
UNDECIDED, EXHIBITING SERIOUS DOUBTS
Jason Day (Australia, Rank: 1)
“It’s difficult to say right now. We’re just really trying to monitor what’s going on because we’re not done having kids. I don’t want to have to bring anything back and have the possibility of that happening to us. Obviously, it can happen here. But if you put yourself down there, there’s a chance of you getting it. … You don’t know how long [the virus] is going to last in your body. So I’m a little wary about it.”
Hideki Matsuyama (Japan, Rank: 12)
“I have concerns … I won’t know right until the last minute. I know that players who are married and players who have kids are more concerned about it. I am not married but it still bothers me. I have not been contacted by anyone [on the Japanese Olympic Committee] and it is a bit much under the current circumstances to have someone tell you to go [and play].”
Shane Lowry (Ireland, Rank: 13)
“Obviously I really want to go but there is a decision to be made. I am recently a married man and I have to learn a lot more about the [Zika] virus. I have to speak to the medical people from the European Tour and the doctors back home. … How big a percentage is the risk? That’s the really big one. I’m going to listen to the medical advice that comes my way and I’ll be honest, I’m not going to take any chances.”
WITHDRAWN — HIT ME UP FOR TOKYO 2020!
Rory McIlroy (Ireland)
Reason: Zika. “After speaking with those closest to me, I’ve come to realize that my health, and my family’s health, comes before anything else. Even though the risk of infection from the Zika virus is considered low, it is a risk nonetheless, and a risk I am unwilling to take.”
Graeme McDowell (Ireland)
Reason: His wife is due to give birth in September. “I made the decision many months ago, before I was on the team, that I would not travel.”
Adam Scott (Australia)
Reason: Scheduling and family commitments. “My decision has been taken as a result of an extremely busy playing schedule around the time of the Olympics, and other commitments, both personal and professional.”
Marc Leishman (Australia)
Reason: Concerns about the health of his wife, Audrey, who nearly died in 2015 from toxic shock syndrome. Leishman’s doctors, advised him against traveling to Brazil. Said Leishman: “We have consulted with Audrey’s physician and due to her ongoing recovery and potential risks associated with the transmission of the Zika virus it was a difficult yet easy decision not to participate.”
Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa)
Reason: Scheduling and family commitments. “I have always represented South Africa with pride, so I didn’t make my decision without a great deal of thought.”
Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)
Reason: None cited.
Vijay Singh (Fiji)
Reason: Scheduling and Zika. “The timing of it, you know I have to focus over here [on Tour]. I would like to play the Olympics, but the Zika virus, you know and all that crap. … It wasn’t that difficult [a decision]. I feel bad, I wanted to play and finally decided against it. It’s in the middle of the Tour over here and I’m trying to figure out my game.”
