Australian Adam Scott described the 2016 Olympic golf tournament as “an exhibition” and said “it might be a bit of fun” if he can fit playing at Rio 2016 into his schedule, which will be dependent on being at his best for the sport’s four major championships.
“I’m not definitely ruling it out, but certainly I’m not planning my schedule around playing the Olympics,” Scott said, according to Reuters. “I’m planning my schedule around playing majors the best I can. If I can fit going to the Olympics into that, it might be a bit of fun, then lucky me if I qualify.
“But if not, I’m not going to miss it, that’s for sure, and I’ll enjoy watching [the major Olympic sports].”
Scott, the 2013 Masters champion and world No. 11, will likely qualify for the Australian team if he keeps his form up to the 2016 British Open.
He’s made his opinion known before about golf returning to the Olympics for the first time since 1904. In December, he said golf would benefit more if amateurs played in Rio rather than professionals.
“To go and play an exhibition event down there [in Rio] to meet some athletes [in other sports] in the middle of the major season, I don’t think any other athletes in their sport would do that,” Scott said, according to Reuters. “I don’t believe a lot of sports belong there. It’s gotten away from where it started.
“Most of the athletes at the Olympics, probably have trained four years specifically to peak at this one event. It’s the pinnacle of their sport. ... They get one crack at their big thing every four years. They have put their life on hold for this event and it’s so important to them, and I feel it’s their time.”
"[Golf] doesn’t need to be in the Olympics.”
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