Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy.
They are the top four ranked golfers in the world according to the latest world ranking, former and current major winners that decided to skip the Rio Olympics citing for reasons that include the Zika virus epidemic and the hectic schedule. Other big names in the sports including Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen, two former major winners have decided to skip the Olympics. At last count, six of the top ten golfers in the world will not make the trip to Brazil.
In fact, golf was once an Olympic sport. The sport was last played in the 1904 Olympic Games in St Louis, USA. It was approved 63-27 by members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be added to the Rio 2016 Games during IOC’s 121st Sessions in 2009.
After re-introducing the sport into the Olympic family, the then IOC President Jacques Rogge was quoted saying “Time will show your decision (IOC members’ decision on the new sports which also include the inclusion of rugby) was very wise”.
Clearly the decision of re-introducing golf in the Olympics doesn’t get off with the greatest start. Aside from the large number of withdrawal especially from male golfers, golf in Olympics doesn’t offer any prize money or significant ranking points, which are some of the key reasons why golfers decided to skip the Olympics.
The golf calendar also forced many golfers to consider their participation in the Olympics. The last major of the year - PGA Championship ended two weeks before the start of the Olympics. Three of the four majors are scheduled within a period of two months of June till August. The FedEx Cup, the richest sports tournament in the world that offers the winner a prize money of $10 million will start shortly after the end of the Olympics. And the biennial Ryder Cup between team Europe and the United States will be held in October.
Over these years, golf has suffered a decline in popularity. Many Millennials find the sport boring and opted for other much more exciting sports. Last week, Nike announced that they will exit the golf equipment business and accelerate innovation in its golf footwear and apparel business. Its German rival - Adidas has been actively shopping its golf equipment brands of TaylorMade, Adams and Ashworth for more than a year.
Olympics has always been a great platform to inspire the new generation to pick up a new sport and potentially be a future Olympic Champion themselves. Yet, the lack of participation from top golfers certainly will not help the course of the sport to boost its popularity around the world.
Professional golf tours like the PGA Tour and European Tour will need to do a better job to accommodate the quadrennial event. Aside from offering precious ranking points to golfers, it would be wise to make some special adjustments to the schedule. While other sporting association like ATP and WTA in tennis have made special accommodation to their calendar, PGA decided to schedule a golf tournament on the exact weekend of the week of Olympic Golf.
If the golfing world are not taking Olympics seriously, perhaps it is time to reconsider the decision of IOC to include golf in the Olympics in the future. Many athletics in other non-Olympic sports will greatly appreciate the opportunity to compete in the world’s biggest sporting event.
They are the top four ranked golfers in the world according to the latest world ranking, former and current major winners that decided to skip the Rio Olympics citing for reasons that include the Zika virus epidemic and the hectic schedule. Other big names in the sports including Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen, two former major winners have decided to skip the Olympics. At last count, six of the top ten golfers in the world will not make the trip to Brazil.
In fact, golf was once an Olympic sport. The sport was last played in the 1904 Olympic Games in St Louis, USA. It was approved 63-27 by members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be added to the Rio 2016 Games during IOC’s 121st Sessions in 2009.
After re-introducing the sport into the Olympic family, the then IOC President Jacques Rogge was quoted saying “Time will show your decision (IOC members’ decision on the new sports which also include the inclusion of rugby) was very wise”.
Clearly the decision of re-introducing golf in the Olympics doesn’t get off with the greatest start. Aside from the large number of withdrawal especially from male golfers, golf in Olympics doesn’t offer any prize money or significant ranking points, which are some of the key reasons why golfers decided to skip the Olympics.
The golf calendar also forced many golfers to consider their participation in the Olympics. The last major of the year - PGA Championship ended two weeks before the start of the Olympics. Three of the four majors are scheduled within a period of two months of June till August. The FedEx Cup, the richest sports tournament in the world that offers the winner a prize money of $10 million will start shortly after the end of the Olympics. And the biennial Ryder Cup between team Europe and the United States will be held in October.
Over these years, golf has suffered a decline in popularity. Many Millennials find the sport boring and opted for other much more exciting sports. Last week, Nike announced that they will exit the golf equipment business and accelerate innovation in its golf footwear and apparel business. Its German rival - Adidas has been actively shopping its golf equipment brands of TaylorMade, Adams and Ashworth for more than a year.
Olympics has always been a great platform to inspire the new generation to pick up a new sport and potentially be a future Olympic Champion themselves. Yet, the lack of participation from top golfers certainly will not help the course of the sport to boost its popularity around the world.
Professional golf tours like the PGA Tour and European Tour will need to do a better job to accommodate the quadrennial event. Aside from offering precious ranking points to golfers, it would be wise to make some special adjustments to the schedule. While other sporting association like ATP and WTA in tennis have made special accommodation to their calendar, PGA decided to schedule a golf tournament on the exact weekend of the week of Olympic Golf.
If the golfing world are not taking Olympics seriously, perhaps it is time to reconsider the decision of IOC to include golf in the Olympics in the future. Many athletics in other non-Olympic sports will greatly appreciate the opportunity to compete in the world’s biggest sporting event.
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