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Jack Nicklaus and Arnold
Palmer, along with Gary
Player firmly believed that
the leading players of the day
should help better the game
of golf for future generations.
It wasn’t cool to play in
Scotland until Arnie reignited
interest in the British Open,
when he won consecutive
Open Championships in
1961 and 1962. Gary Player
has logged more miles to
promote golf than any other
human being on the planet.
Today’s professional golfers
are faced with a conundrum.
Should they or shouldn’t
they participate in the Rio
Olympics, which will offer
golf as a sanctioned sport for
the first time since 1904.
Rio de Janeiro presents
a myriad of troublesome
problems for the leading
players. Jason Day, Rory
McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and
Dustin Johnson are currently
the top-ranked players, but
have bowed out of the Rio
Games citing concerns over
the Zika virus. In reality, their
main concern may be money.
Day, Spieth and McIlroy are
relatively young and will
have future opportunities to
participate in the Olympics,
Johnson is the old man of the
group at the ripe old age of
32. They are all in the process
or are anticipating becoming
fathers in the coming years
and that is where the Zika
virus excuse becomes useful.
The major reason, however,
is the possibility of losing
millions in prize and bonus
money from the 2016 FedEx
Cup Playoffs, if they should
become sick from competing
in the Brazil Olympics.
At first blush this seems selfish
and not in the Olympic Spirit,
but on reflection the decision
to abstain from Rio seems
to be the smart answer to a
complex question.
WWJD:
What Would
Jack Do?
By
Fred Altvater
NWO Golf Links