Jordan Spieth admits he wrestled with decision to drop out of the Rio Olympics due to concerns over Zika threat but has no regrets
American ace won't be travelling to Brazil this summer after becoming the latest big name to withdraw from Games
JORDAN SPIETH claimed pulling out of next month’s Olympics was the “hardest decision of his life”.
The world No 3 has been warned by Rio-bound English pair Danny Willett and Justin Rose there will not be a mosquito in sight in Rio.
But two-time Major winner Spieth still flew in the face of multi-million pound sponsors Coca-Cola — also the longest official partner of the Games — in snubbing the event.
But he admitted he had agonised over the decision and only settled upon an answer at the last minute.
Spieth, the last of the ‘Big Four’ of Rory McIlroy, world No 1 Jason Day and Dustin Johnson to drop out, said: “This was probably the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my life at 22-years-old.
“This was harder than trying to decide what university to go to, whether to turn professional and leave school. This was something I very much struggled with.
“Ultimately a decision had to be made and I made it.
“I’m a huge believer in Olympic golf. I’m a huge believer in playing for your country.
“Not everybody’s going to understand — nobody’s going to understand what it’s like to be in my shoes.
“It’s going to be very, very difficult for me to watch.
“I’ll make it a significant goal to be at Tokyo in 2020.”
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Spieth was sat next to fellow American Rickie Fowler, 27, when his good friend confirmed he would play in Brazil.
He said: “I texted Rickie immediately after I decided and said ‘I’m sorry, buddy, but I’m not going to be joining you down there this year’. He said ‘you’re just going to be jealous when I get that gold.’”
But 2013 US Open winner Rose was joined by Masters champion Willett in saying players are over-reacting to the Zika threat.
Rose, 35, said: “It is going to be one of those things that we look back at and think was a non-event.
“You’re going to get down there and you’re probably not going to see a mosquito.
“I’m treating it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I think it’s something you can make an exception for.”
Willett, 28, who has been ill this week, added: “You’ve got more chance of getting malaria in South Africa than you have Zika in Rio. If there’s an Olympics in Johannesburg, would guys pull out?
“Hopefully by the time we get there it’s not talked about and isn’t an issue.”