Why Would Top Golfers Walk Away From Golden Shot At The Olympics?

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements

LIKE many other people, I baulked at the thought of golf returning to the Olympic Games. Somehow it just didn't seem right that the professional arm of the sport should be allowed to compete at Rio, side by side with the likes of Usain Bolt and Jessica Ennis-Hill.

It wouldn't have been so bad had the door been opened for the world's best amateurs - well that was my initial thought. Then I rejoined the real world and looked long and hard at Bolt, Ennis-Hill and just about every other household name who will compete at Rio - they are no more amateur sportsmen and women than are Jordan Spieth and Lydia Ko.

The days of amateurism in sport, of the Corinthian spirit, are long gone. Even the likes of Bryson DeChambeau was effectively a professional golfer long before he officially left the amateur ranks, with support from a host of sponsors ensuring that he could continue as an amateur until playing in The Masters. We are supposed to believe that no money changed hands before he took part in his first tournament as fully-fledged professional, but anybody who believes that is pretty naive - he already had an agent and he had club, ball and clothing contracts in place.

Not so long ago, we were aghast at the very thought of professional tennis players taking part at the Olympics but now we take it for granted. And who will ever forget the passion, the fervour, the excitement caused by Andy Murray's gold medal-winning performance in the men's singles at Wimbledon during the 2012 London Games?

Murray himself put it into perspective when he said that winning an Olympic title was actually harder than winning a grand slam tournament. He still had to beat the best players in the world and he had to do in front of a patriotic home crowd - that amounts to huge pressure. And if he failed, he would have to wait four years to try again.

Murray is desperate to make a successful defence in Rio, while Novak Djokovic is equally determined to wrest the Olympic title from the Scot. The Olympic cycle has become something that the world's top tennis players now work around - representing their country matters to them. And so it should.

And that is why it is so terribly sad to hear that Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen will not be in Rio because "it does not fit" with their schedules. Jack Nicklaus has made it clear that he is disappointed in the attitude of these two men, and others who have refused to commit themselves to the Olympics. The Golden Bear was wistful when he spoke about the issue, and there was no doubt that had he ever been given the chance to compete at an Olympic Games then he would have grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Just think of it - 18 majors and an Olympic gold medal.

What Scott and Oosthuizen fail to grasp is that they are walking away from a golden opportunity for their sport. The Olympic golf tournaments (men and women) will be played on a fantastic new golf course in glorious weather, and will be watched by a global audience of billions of people - what an amazing chance to showcase the game and those who play it, what an incredible chance to get the whole world turned on to the short-game magic of Jordan Spieth and the incredible power and majesty of Rory McIlroy's long game.

We all know that golf is not in a great place, certainly not in terms of its growth. It would be nice to think that the men and women who make such a fabulous and privileged living from it might actually care about its future. Get on the plane to Rio, get out on the course, don't spit, don't swear, do your sport and your country proud. When you are interviewed before, during and after the Olympic tournament, tell everybody what an amazing sport you play - a sport for life.

And then think about this: "I am the Olympic champion!" Really, it doesn't get any better than that.

Adam and Louis should be ashamed of themselves for failing to grasp this opportunity. Let's hope they watch it back home on TV and feel the pain of not being there.

One thing I know for certain is that if a British golfer wins the gold medal, there will not be a dry eye in the Clements household when the National Anthem is being played.