Summer Adam Scott says No to Olympics

[Wallaby]

Adam Scott has decided he almost certainly play golf at the Olympics in 2016. Says it doesn't fit in his schedule, and he needs a holiday.

Thank Christ for that. The most nauseating part of the Olympics are the sports - like Tennis, Soccer, Road cycling - where the Olympics are not the top events.. Sure, it's better to have won the Olympics rather than not, but I'd much rather see those sports maintain their most important championships outside the Olympics. Having top performers like Scott basically saying the Olympics are not that important is actually good.

There's some minor 'Letting down the country' articles in the Outrage Press today, but they can be ignored.

The Olympics have become such a bloated marketing exercise, the sports themselves get lost in the Olympic Hype. I, for one, would be happy if the Olympics folded. Sure, I'd never see synchronised swimming, Greco-Roman wrestling or kayaking on prime-time tv again, but I can live with that.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

The majority of the best women's tennis players took the Olympics seriously since it return in 1988 but the majority of men have only taken the last couple seriously. I wonder if the same will happen with golf?

 

[Cmarsh]

I wonder how many other top golfers will say no to the Olympics. If theyre are to be more, then it's certainly a bad look having golf debut when some top players are deciding not to compete. Makes you question the wisdom of including golf in the Olympic program.

 

[robbieando]

Keep in mind its a 60 man field with a maximum of 4 competitors per country if they have 4 in the Top 15 otherwise its 2 per country with some regional selections. There are major winners who are on the Reserves List for the US, Ireland, Great Britain, Argentina and South Africa.

At the moment this is the field before Adam Scott's withdrawal - http://www.igfgolf.org/olympic-games/qualification-system/ogr-men/

and according to this - http://igfederation.s3.amazonaws.co...ympicsMenReallocationReserveList_17112015.pdf

Scott is replaced by Leishman who in my opinion on form is the better option anyway so not sure what the fuss is about.

 

[ozgamer]

Good on Adam for standing up for his beliefs which are soundly justified.

 

[eth-dog]

If the Olympics did it differently to any of the majors it'd be worth it. A match play championship would be one that changes it for the better.

 

[Jeremias]

Not a great look for the Olympics when the best are not prepared to compete, but Adam is obviously well and truly within his rights to refuse.

Up to the Olympics committee to shake things up a bit if they want to be seen as a serious competition in the sport of golf.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

If the Olympics did it differently to any of the majors it'd be worth it. A match play championship would be one that changes it for the better.

The Ryder Cup might be a good model as well. Guys get a lot more animated for that compared to both tour events and majors.

 

[BobbyMorri]

he is right, they should have done something different. dont agree with only amateurs like Scott has been saying, but perhaps it should be pairs match play with countries. something unique and with teams.

it just another golf tournament now.

btw, road cyclists do take the Olympics very seriously. just look at the brits last Olympics. it was a fantastic event and was the one, if not the highest attended sport for Olympics over one day. Its a chance, like the marathon, for people of all economic backgrounds to come and enjoy the Olympics. it is probably the most prestigious one day race of the 4 yer cycle.

and tennis sort of joined the bandwagon as well, thanks to what it has meant to Federer, Nadal, Williams' and Murray. the Olympics are only 16 days every 4 years. sure, their is a lot of money, but out of all the sporting organisations in the world, i actually trust the IOC the most. which shows how bad all the others are, considering what happened in 2002.

they look like a saint compared to the ICC and FIFA.

 

[ozgamer]

btw, road cyclists do take the Olympics very seriously. just look at the brits last Olympics. it was a fantastic event and was the one, if not the highest attended sport for Olympics over one day. Its a chance, like the marathon, for people of all economic backgrounds to come and enjoy the Olympics. it is probably the most prestigious one day race of the 4 yer cycle..

The Brits were hosting in 2012 so it would've been a terrible look if all off Wiggins, Froome and Cavendish were coming off the Tour de France in great form and did not compete. It just made sense where they were expected to do well in the TDF that they would parlay that effort in London.

 

[eth-dog]

The Brits were hosting in 2012 so it would've been a terrible look if all off Wiggins, Froome and Cavendish were coming off the Tour de France in great form and did not compete. It just made sense where they were expected to do well in the TDF that they would parlay that effort in London.

Cav was actually in putrid form that TDF

 

[ozgamer]

Cav was actually in putrid form that TDF

My mistake. I was only looking @ Stage wins. I missed the fact he performed poorly in the Points Competition.

 

[the_interloper]

Every country picks two golfers and it's an ambrose event.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Cav was actually in putrid form that TDF

TBF to him, he was domestique for Wiggins for that Tour. He did win in the Champs-Elysée.

his main target was the Olympics that year. never got a look in, because no one(etc, Aus) was willing to help. he cant the shits after the race. it was great.

 

[ozgamer]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/36595631

No Rory McIllroy. The list gets longer.

 

[masai]

Just goes to show, why the flip was Golf added to the games !!!!!.

Marbles for 2020 games.

 

[Leeda]

and they shouldn't be playing the Olympics. so absenteism is nothing to anyone else. hmm

 

[jameses]

Golf just doesn't work in the Olympics because it isn't the pinnacle of the sport.

Tennis, golf and soccer are just a number of sports that should not be in the Olympics.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Golf just doesn't work in the Olympics because it isn't the pinnacle of the sport.

Tennis, golf and soccer are just a number of sports that should not be in the Olympics.

For Women's soccer the pinnacle is still an Olympic gold over a world cup win. Men's should be all restricted to Under 23 not the 3 over 23 allowed. Soccer has been part of the Olympics since 1896 and was the biggest prize before WWII even bigger than the 3 world cups held and you could argue the 1948 and 1952 gold medals were as big as the world cup. The biggest sport in the world should have some presence at the biggest multi-sport event and i think the U/23 rule was a good one, but the IOC wanted some stars so they went with 3 over 23's. Plus Soccer is either the #1 attendance sport or #2 after athletics depending on size of main stadium and supporting soccer stadiums.

 

[Black_White]

Golf is a past time. Not a sport and should not be in the Games.
Maybe we could have darts instead? Equal athleticism.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Golf is a past time. Not a sport and should not be in the Games.
Maybe we could have darts instead? Equal athleticism.

Shooting?