JDay, DJ, Others Pull out of Olympics, Rickie, Others Still Going

[newtogolf]

Rory clarified his position on growing the game, obviously he felt the need to do some damage control.   Though he did say for the last seven years he's been trying to please everyone, now he's being true to himself.  

[natureboy]

  On 7/13/2016 at 9:14 PM, natureboy said:

The women are in a different situation, because the international interest from Korea and Southeast Asia has increased their audience and more importantly the number of good paying tournaments world-wide. The men's schedule is already essentially 'booked up'.

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For some perspective on how international the two tours are, here are the distributions by country of the top 1000 for both men and women:

(note: for the cumulative percentage I lumped ENG, SCO, WAL, NIR as United Kingdom while also showing each individual country's total number of players)

 

[Patch]

  On 6/28/2016 at 1:37 PM, Jeremie Boop said:

Honestly, if I were someone who was looking to have kids in the future I wouldn't take the chance at getting Zika either. Unfortunately, you have golf writers saying things like this:

Entitlement and point missing? So they are supposed to potentially jeopardize their future children? Dying, boutique sport? Seems like this guy is covering a sport he doesn't even like.

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Zika virus is already in the United States, and has already been attributed to a death in Utah. Are these pros, citing the virus as a deal breaker for Rio going to quit playing in the U.S.? I think not. What they should say is that Rio is a cess pool, and that the Olympic Committee screwed up by picking the place in first place. 

[Jeremie Boop]

  On 7/18/2016 at 4:02 PM, Patch said:

Zika virus is already in the United States, and has already been attributed to a death in Utah. Are these pros, citing the virus as a deal breaker for Rio going to quit playing in the U.S.? I think not. What they should say is that Rio is a cess pool, and that the Olympic Committee screwed up by picking the place in first place. 

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Are the rates of infections in the US anywhere near those in Rio? I'm pretty sure that if it were a serious issue here something would be done about it fairly quickly. But, you are correct that there are other serious issues with where the Olympics are being held. Unfortunately, just about every other sport and/or athlete that participates in the Olympics basically relies on the prestige of being in/placing in the Olympics to garner attention and support. As well as the competition being considered the strongest in their sport and a win being the pinnacle of achievement. Luckily, men's professional golf doesn't feel the weight of that pressure to go. If there wasn't so much preparation and anticipation for all those other sports I bet you'd see a lot more athletes backing out. Especially those who are being expected to compete in the open water events...

Edited July 18, 2016 by Jeremie Boop

[newtogolf]

  On 7/18/2016 at 4:02 PM, Patch said:

Zika virus is already in the United States, and has already been attributed to a death in Utah. Are these pros, citing the virus as a deal breaker for Rio going to quit playing in the U.S.? I think not. What they should say is that Rio is a cess pool, and that the Olympic Committee screwed up by picking the place in first place. 

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The person who died in Utah isn't believed to have contacted Zika in the US.

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The unidentified resident of Salt Lake County had traveled to an undisclosed destination where the virus is circulating.

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I do agree there are a lot more reasons than Zika to not participate in the Olympics.  

[Lastpick]

I agree with a couple of points brought up by the members in on TST.  Rio is a cesspool and could prove to be dangerous for olympians.  I think that this is a guarantee.  The zika virus most certainly would be a deterrent for anyone whom might be considering expanding the family in the next couple of years.  We as of yet don't know enough about zika to tell everyone that it is of little or no consequence if you get it as long as you're not pregnant.  I also think the drug testing guidelines imposed on athletes that participate in the games could be a deterrent.

[KarenS]

I'm concerned that LPGA golfer Stacy Lewis may be correct in saying that golfers are using Zika as an excuse not to attend the Olympics. August is the cool part of the year for Rio since it is in the Southern Hemisphere. The number of mosquitos is at its lowest and some health officials are saying that the risk of catching Zika is "very low" at that time of year. I think golfers feel they should concentrate on winning championships instead of "growing the sport" by competing in the Olympics. The benefits of participating in the Olympics for golfers is unknown and it may seem like a gamble when you weigh in health concerns.

[colin007]

  On 7/18/2016 at 5:09 PM, KarenS said:

I'm concerned that LPGA golfer Stacy Lewis may be correct in saying that golfers are using Zika as an excuse not to attend the Olympics. August is the cool part of the year for Rio since it is in the Southern Hemisphere. The number of mosquitos is at its lowest and some health officials are saying that the risk of catching Zika is "very low" at that time of year. I think golfers feel they should concentrate on winning championships instead of "growing the sport" by competing in the Olympics. The benefits of participating in the Olympics for golfers is unknown and it may seem like a gamble when you weigh in health concerns.

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Good points. Plus, for me criminals fall under the category of "health concerns".

[disco111]

Well I read the other day that Brazil authorities arrested 10 amature terrorists who were going to attack the olympics. Now see, I learned something.............did not know that there is a difference in terrorists....Oh wait, I forgot, the Pres said something to the effect that there is a JV team.........

I'm thinking that zika could kinda fall to the bottom of the list as to why folks don't want to go............. 

[boogielicious]

  On 7/22/2016 at 11:09 PM, disco111 said:

Well I read the other day that Brazil authorities arrested 10 amature terrorists who were going to attack the olympics. Now see, I learned something.............did not know that there is a difference in terrorists....Oh wait, I forgot, the Pres said something to the effect that there is a JV team.........

I'm thinking that zika could kinda fall to the bottom of the list as to why folks don't want to go............. 

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We had a bomb set off by an amateur right-wing terrorist in Atlanta in '96. Let's not forget that. Please do not make this thread political.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Rudolph

[onthehunt526]

Rickie and them find it intriguing to "Blame It On Rio". 

I understand the big names who have dropped out don't want to expose themselves or families to Zika virus. But Zika isn't the only blame here.

Blame the PGA Tour, the wraparound season, and playing cram the last two majors into 3 weeks schedule.

Blame the IOC and IGF, they're the ones who created the fiasco of the Top 60 thing and using their own F- - - ed up version of "qualifying". Instead of taking the Top 60 on paper, take maybe the Top 20 on paper.... make it a field of 80 ish. And use some sort of Olympic trials sort of format and points system based on that season's PGA and European Tour and let the other 60 spots be "qualified"

That being said after this learning experience I think the Tours and IOC will work together in 2020 a little better... hell you could make the PGA the first major of the season for '19 and '20 and yank the bye week out of the FedEX Cup playoffs. Or play it a couple weeks later than usual.

[disco111]

  On 7/23/2016 at 10:51 AM, boogielicious said:

We had a bomb set off by an amateur right-wing terrorist in Atlanta in '96. Let's not forget that. Please do not make this thread political.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Rudolph

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Well, when the term terrorists are/is used, it's political in nature now isn't it!........There are no Amateurs when it comes to dealing in death..........Offering a statement made by someone, who is a politician, is not making a thread political, it's just offering up a statement made by that particular person. But it's ok for everybody else to lambast the IOC, Brazil, the PGA and who ever else they saw fit to criticize, but there's nothing remotely political in any of that.........yeah right.       

[boogielicious]

  On 7/23/2016 at 3:30 PM, disco111 said:

Well, when the term terrorists are/is used, it's political in nature now isn't it!........There are no Amateurs when it comes to dealing in death..........Offering a statement made by someone, who is a politician, is not making a thread political, it's just offering up a statement made by that particular person. But it's ok for everybody else to lambast the IOC, Brazil, the PGA and who ever else they saw fit to criticize, but there's nothing remotely political in any of that.........yeah right.       

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I meant dragging US politics into a thread about the Rio Olympics. I think you know that and your post could have started OT discussion in that regard. Crap on the IOC, Brazil Olympics, the PGA all you want. 

[jgreen85]

I'm now 100% on board with Rory. We don't expect LeBron to grow basketball or Aaron Rodgers to grow American football or Messi to grow international football or Phelps to grow swimming, etc etc. What is this "grow golf" nonsense? This is the job of the people who make more money if the game grows (course designers, equipment makers, golf course owners/managers, golf coaches). Perhaps Rors has an obligation to Nike, but is Joe schmoe commentator really out to protect Nike? Really? I'm quite sure Nike can take care of itself. 

Rory's job is to be entertaining on the golf course and, perhaps, off of it. 

[newtogolf]

The Olympics are supposed to be about athletes wanting to compete against the best in the world while representing their country, it's never been a mandatory event or one that warrants public shame if one decides to not attend (at least not in the US).   

Whatever their real reasons are, professional golfers have the right to decide not to participate.  

[natureboy]

  On 7/18/2016 at 5:09 PM, KarenS said:

I'm concerned that LPGA golfer Stacy Lewis may be correct in saying that golfers are using Zika as an excuse not to attend the Olympics. August is the cool part of the year for Rio since it is in the Southern Hemisphere. The number of mosquitos is at its lowest and some health officials are saying that the risk of catching Zika is "very low" at that time of year. I think golfers feel they should concentrate on winning championships instead of "growing the sport" by competing in the Olympics. The benefits of participating in the Olympics for golfers is unknown and it may seem like a gamble when you weigh in health concerns.

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She probably is correct, though it's probably the nail in the coffin. See my earlier post #182. The men's and women's games are very different in terms of international strength. There is  barely a big two countries for the men, while the women have a big three with the U.S. third.

This alone meant that the qualification system meant a stronger event field for the women, while for the men it meant in terms of OWGR points it was a 2nd tier event from the get-go. Before South Korea and Japan became golf powerhouses, there were less events and less money on the LPGA. Maybe it's the women's game that is best positioned to grow golf internationally? With attention to their competition, they may pick up some more international sponsors while the men's game is already has more than enough events and sponsors. Their savvy commissioner is aware of this with creation of events like International Crown and likely underscored it to his top players, along with building in a break in their (sparser) schedule for the event. The risk / reward is just different for the women.

I also agree with others that the format and field size was less than inspiring to make Olympic golf something special. IGF fell short there.

[ScouseJohnny]

It could have been a great amateur golf competition. Now it's what, exactly? A second-string professional tournament?

[iacas]

  On 7/24/2016 at 10:23 PM, ScouseJohnny said:

It could have been a great amateur golf competition. Now it's what, exactly? A second-string professional tournament?

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(Almost) nobody cares about watching amateurs play in stuff.

People don't even watch the U.S. Amateur much. Some of the higher level PGA Tour events outrank the viewership numbers of the U.S. Am.