Australian golfer Adam Scott has officially ruled himself out of Olympic selection due to a busy playing schedule and other commitments.
Scott, who criticised the Olympic format last year had never fully committed to playing, unlike fellow Australian and world no.1 Jason Day, who has spoken of his desire to win an Olympic gold.
Scott’s decision to rule himself a non-starter is a blow for Australia’s hopes on the men’s side.
“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,” Scott said in a statement.
“I have informed the Australian Team Captain and relevant authorities, who are understanding of my position and I wish the Australian Olympic Team the very best of luck in Rio.”
When you look at the schedule of events it’s easy to see why golfers like Scott might make the decision to withdrawal from the Olympics.
The Olympic golf event is just two weeks after the final major of the year – The PGA Championship. It also follows a huge July with the World Golf Championship, the Greenbrier Classic, the Open Championship and the Barbasol Championship.
To automatically qualify for the Olympics players must be inside the top-15 in the world. Scott is currently ranked no.7 so would have been a certainty.
Players outside the top-15 can still qualify if a country doesn’t already have four inside the top-15, which means Marc Leishman, Marcus Fraser, Steve Bowditch and Cameron Smith have a chance in Scott’s absence.
“We’re obviously disappointed Adam will not play because he’s one of the best players in the world but we understand his position,” Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt said.
“This means one of our other elite players will get the chance and we’re more than happy that we will field a very strong team in Rio.
“We will have at least four great golfers compete for Australia in Brazil and we’re very excited for what that means to golf in this country and more broadly around the world,” he said.
Mark
Guest
The obvious question then is, if the Olympics aren't a priority for golfers, why is golf in the Olympics in the first place?
Mark
Guest
How many of the recent Olympic hosts built new stadiums specifically for the Olympic football tournament? You could take football out of the Olympics...stadiums would still be built for the athletics and could be used as football stadiums afterwards. Gymnastics and archery, using your examples, do not need expensive infrastructure precisely because they will not draw large audiences. Archery doesn't even need permanent infrastructure. The biggest barrier to cities bidding for the Olympics is cost. The solution is to scale down the Olympics and reduce the cost.
Kris
Guest
Adam Scott will be playing in five tournaments (including two majors) in the two months leading up to the Olympics and people are surprised that he does not want to play in Rio? No one who understands sport could be quite so stupid.
nickbrisbane
Guest
I reckon he doesn't want to get bitten - especially if they are thinking of having a family.
lester
Guest
That's a great way to guarantee that no "decent city" wiill ever bid for hte olympics again. No one wants to build infrastructure for unpopular sports anymore like gymnastics or Archery but there is plenty of long term value out of building Basketball or Football stadiums.
Mark
Guest
I wouldn't miss any of them. Rugby's inclusion is a joke...it's not even rugby, it's 7's. Who actually takes 7's rugby seriously? The men's football is limited mostly to U23's. Basketball and tennis are other examples of sports that could go. Is baseball still in the Olympics? That could go too. The IOC can't get decent cities to vote for the Olympics because they've become bloated behemoths. The best thing they could do is get rid of professional sports where the elite athletes aren't eligible to participate or, if they are, hardly care, and other sports that are modified versions of their real selves.
Jacko
Guest
Apparently a lot of the mens tour dont want to play at the olympics where as the women players are very keen. Not enough money for the men.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
answers.com? LOL
Fox Molder
Guest
Ok. I believe everything I read on answers.com by an unattributed source....as I said it has NEVER been mentioned anywhere, anytime by anyone in all the articles and interviews. I call TOTAL BS THAT ADAM SCOTT IS A MORMON....
no one in particular
Roar Guru
They really stuffed up th egolf format at the olympics using strokeplay. Matchplay, fourball, foursomes, mixed, etc
richo
Guest
http://www.answers.com/Q/What_religion_is_golfer_Adam_Scott I'll even answer for you: "Mormon" tube his masters celebration yourself Mr X file
Fox Molder
Guest
I have never heard anything being mentioned about Scott and religion in his entire career. Where are you getting that from? Bubba and the bible boys like Rickie etc, Badds.com are pretty open about it, but Adam Scott has 'conservative' religious beliefs....and he thrusted his hips when he won the Masters....What are you on about?! Golf should not be in the Olympics, it should only be for sports that wining an Olympic gold medal is the most prestigious accolade you can achieve.
Arthur Fonzarelli
Guest
Golf should be an Olympic sport moreso than rugby or soccer, but I would have national teams playing Matchplay on a knockout basis played over a week. Four days of strokeplay. So, rugby and soccer out, golf and cricket IN.
Mark
Guest
It was ridiculous that golf was included in the Olympics in the first place. This decision is more evidence of that. If the top athletes in a sport don't consider the Olympics to be a priority and routinely withdraw, the sport shouldn't be in the Olympics.
richo
Guest
Adam Scott's popularity in Australia is very interesting, he has some great achievments in golf but a personality that doesnt exactly captivate in the media. His famous celebration when he was "thrusting his hips" was also strange. He is known for strong conservative religous beliefs that are very much out of fashion these days, and along with Trump singing his praises, it makes him very different to Asutalian sporting heroes we are used to. It will be interesting to see how his career and his standing in Australian sport progresses.