US in turmoil over Zika as Spieth won’t confirm availability for Rio

WITH two days to go before the US Olympic golf team is finalised, Jordan Spieth was not prepared to say if he will be wearing the Stars and Stripes in Rio.

Asked the question by The Mail on Sunday after getting his first look at Royal Troon before The Open this week, the 22-year-old Texan responded: ‘I’m sorry, I just can’t answer the question of whether I am going right now. We’re still trying to figure it out.’

On Friday, US Open champion Dustin Johnson became the first American to pull out, leaving Spieth as the game’s only superstar still theoretically on board, following the withdrawals of world No1 Jason Day and Rory McIlroy.

In January, Spieth was the poster boy for Olympic golf, declaring he could not imagine anything better than representing his country at the Rio Games. How long ago that seems now, after Spieth openly declared his reservations at the Bridgestone Invitational 10 days ago, when he not only raised the concerns of contractiong the Zika virus but also security issues as well.

Johnson was thought to be a certain starter so his withdrawal, blaming it on Zika, came as a shock and inevitably led to all eyes being cast in Spieth’s direction. Now, in addition to preparing for The Open, he has a huge decision to make.

Spieth is normally one of the last to arrive at The Open because one of his favourite American events — the John Deere Classic — is usually held in the previous week. Not this year, so he arrived from Dallas yesterday morning and then played the first four holes and the last four at Troon following a midday siesta.

Spieth practised a few chip shots from strange lies and bunker shots with only one leg standing in the sand. In other words, things you would never do at your typical Texan country club.

With the wind blowing in the opposite direction from the prevailing one, he

might find his diligence invaluable if we get the same breeze during the tournament.

Typically, the last four holes played into the wind are usually monstrous but Justin Rose, another early arrival, played the 554-yard 16th in a drive and eight iron — despite the fact Troon is far greener than desirable, with little run on the ball following the wet June.

Rose has been here since Tuesday, preferring to get the bulk of his prep work done before the players start arriving in numbers.

McIlroy is of the same mind. He played two long practice rounds on Thursday and Friday, commuting from Belfast by helicopter.

It took 20 minutes down breeze and 30 minutes going home, since you asked.

Ah, the gilded lives of the superstar set.