Los Angeles: World number two Dustin Johnson, who won his first major title at the US Open Golf Championship in June, won’t play in the Rio Olympics because of concerns over the Zika virus.
In a statement released to the Golf Channel on Friday by his agent, David Winkle of Hambric Sports Management, Johnson said his hopes of expanding his family with fiancee Paulina Gretzky meant it would be “irresponsible” to risk contracting the mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to birth defects.
“As an athlete, I can think of no greater honour than representing the United States in the Olympic Games,” Johnson’s statement said. “However, after much careful consideration and discussion with both my family and my team, I have made the decision to withdraw from the 2016 Olympic Games.
“This was not an easy decision for me, but my concerns about the Zika Virus cannot be ignored,” added Johnson, who has a one-year-old son, Tatum, with Gretzky.
“Paulina and I plan to have more children in the near future, and I feel it would be irresponsible to put myself, her or our family at risk. I believe I am making the right decision for me and most importantly, my family.”
Johnson joined an exodus of top golfers from the Games which has taken the sheen off the sport’s return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence.
World number one Jason Day, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, Australian Adam Scott and Japan’s 17th-ranked Hideki Matsuyma have all mentioned Zika as a consideration in opting out of Rio.
South African golfer Jaco van Zyl, meanwhile, is bucking the trend and skipping two majors this month — the British Open and the PGA Championship — so he can be fresh for the Olympics.
Ranked No. 65 in the world, Van Zyl said he had been feeling the effects of a long season and, adamant that he wanted to play at the Olympics, he chose to withdraw from next week’s British Open and the PGA from July 28-31. The Olympics are next month.
“I expect that there will be a camp that will criticise me for withdrawing from the majors,” Van Zyl told South African website Sport 24. “Rory (McIlroy) said in a recent press conference that we play four ‘Olympics’ a year because major titles are what we play for, but I don’t agree. To me, the Olympics is the pinnacle of all sporting events.
“The majors will still be there next year, but I don’t know if I will get another chance (at the Olympics) in 2020.”