Is Jordan Spieth in the 2016 Rio Olympics?
Jason Day and Rory McIIroy — two of golf’s biggest stars — have already said they will not play in the golf tournament of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Will former No.1 and two-time major winner Jordan Spieth sit out Rio, too?
As exciting as the Summer Olympics are every four years, there are major concerns over whether or not it’s a safe environment for the athletes and the environment in Brazil as the event draws closer.
Some of the major concerns are the political situation in Brazil, the traveling, the security (or lack thereof) and the Zika Virus that has grabbed many headlines over the course of the past few months after Rio won the right to host the Olympics.
World-class athletes like LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have all decided to sit this year’s Olympics out in men’s basketball, while some of golf’s biggest stars — including Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson — have declined to go to Rio as well.
Former World No. 1 men’s golfer and the game’s best putter, Jordan Spieth, will also sit out the Rio Olympics in August as well.
"“This was harder than trying to decide what university to go to. Whether to turn professional and leave school. This was something I very much struggled with,” Spieth told reporters during the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon.“I bounced back and forth with it, and ultimately a decision had to be made yesterday [initial reports on Spieth’s decision came out July 11], and so I made it.”"
With Spieth out, that means the game’s top four players — Day, Johnson, Spieth and McIlroy — are all out.
After explaining his decision to sit Rio out, Spieth talked about playing in the 2020 Summer Games in Japan.
“I’ll make it a significant goal,” Spieth said.
“I’m a huge believer in Olympic golf. I’m a huge believer in playing for your country. It’s the most exciting sporting event for me to watch on TV and to have a chance to be a part of it is something I definitely look forward to trying to do. This year I just had to try and weigh a risk that doesn’t present itself every year, and just at the time that I had to make the decision, I just felt this was the right move for me.”
(h/t USA Today)
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