Spieth: Pulling out of Olympics hardest choice he ever made

The absence of numerous top men from the Olympic golf tournament in Rio de Janeiro will be taken into account in evaluating the sport’s future in the games, IOC President Thomas Bach said Wednesday.

On being compared to Spieth, Day and Johnson: “I’ve got four major championships, and I’d love to add to that tally, just as those guys would love to add to their one or two majors that they have and just keep going”.

“We have to respect the individual decisions, even if they are going contrary to the recommendations given by the World Health Organization, if Zika is given as a reason”, Bach said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press and two other global news agencies.

While the men’s event has been hit by a host of pull-outs, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko will lead an nearly full-strength lineup as golf makes it’s return to the Olympics for the first time since 1904. The Ryder Cup player said he made a decision to withdraw because of poor form. “You’re just going to be jealous when I get that gold,”‘ Spieth said.

Spieth said that reports that he withdrew specifically because of concerns over the Zika virus were erroneous.

“It will loom over me throughout the Olympic Games, for sure”. Even though he’s out of the Olympics, Spieth said he won’t go to the John Deere.

“One of the main categories of the evaluation is, of course, the question of participation of the best players”, Bach said. In the end, the two-time major victor said he chose what he thought was best for his future in pulling out of the upcoming Summer Olympics in Brazil.

Rory McIlroy admitted it was nice to talk about golf rather than the Olympics after his opening round in the Open, but was not about to change his opinion on the subject. “I will be, I’m sure, at times pretty upset that I’m not down there”.

Asked if he was happy with his comments during his pre-tournament press conference, the 27-year-old added: ” I think I would have elaborated a little bit on the grow-the-game comment.

JORDAN SPIETH has denied he’s in a personal slump going into this week’s Open at Royal Troon. “I’ll be texting Rickie [Fowler], obviously, throughout as a good friend of mine”.

“But if I can somehow make a positive change in the world by what I do on the golf course, whether that means raise money for charity or give kids more of a chance in life growing up. I thought about all of this ahead of time and still made the decision I did because it was the right move for me”.