Spieth skipping Rio Olympics, latest star golfer to withdraw

TROON, SCOTLAND — Golf waited 112 years to get back into the Olympics. The top four players in the world are waiting a bit longer.

Jordan Spieth delivered the final blow Monday when he told the International Golf Federation he would not be going to Rio de Janeiro next month, leaving the sport without its four highest-ranked players who have captured six of the past eight majors.

IGF President Peter Dawson said Spieth cited his concern over “health issues” for withdrawing.

All have indicated support for 2020 in Tokyo.

Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy previously withdrew, all citing the Zika virus. Day and Johnson have said they plan on having more children, while McIlroy is engaged and said he would soon be starting a family.

Eighteen eligible men, based on Monday’s world ranking, withdrew from the Olympics.

Only one woman withdrew: Lee Anne Pace of South Africa, who cited Zika concerns.

The men will have eight of the top 15 in the world in Rio. The women will have the top nine in the world; Ha-Na Jang at No. 10 is not eligible because South Korea already reached its maximum of four players.

“There is no doubt that the number of withdrawals hasn’t shed golf in the best light, and we have to accept that,” Dawson said. “But we do understand why these individual decisions have been taken. Personally, I think there’s been something of an overreaction to the Zika situation, but that’s for individuals to determine, and there’s certainly a great deal of concern about this issue inside the game of golf, no doubt about that.”

Spieth was playing a practice round at Royal Troon for the British Open when the IGF held its news conference to announce who qualified. Spieth was not expected to speak until today. When he finished his round, he went back toward the gallery to sign autographs, and then walked across the front of the 18th green to the other side toward the parking lot.

Golf pulled out all the stops to get back into the Olympics, presenting on video the support from some of the best players in the world at the time — Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Lorena Ochoa, Suzann Pettersen — when it was voted onto the program in 2009.

Spieth was among the most enthusiastic until about a month ago, when he joined others in expressing concern about Zika, security and other issues facing the Rio Games. He was said to be torn about playing until he decided Monday morning not to go.