Canada’s DeLaet has Rio in his sights
SASKATOON Graham DeLaet is a hardcore, Canadian-bred hockey fan who’s watched the Olympic chase as a spectator.
Now he’s on a pursuit of his own, swinging a club, making no secret of his desire to land one of two Canadian men’s golf spots at the 2016 Rio Olympics. That’s noteworthy, given that some peers aren’t exactly stampeding into Brazil.
“Putting that Canadian flag on your back and playing for 35 million people is a special feeling I wouldn’t miss,” says DeLaet, who is a front-runner to land one of those Canadian berths.
“You think of Crosby’s golden goal, or 2002 in Salt Lake. Those are the moments. Because we haven’t had golf in the Olympics in over 100 years, maybe we’ll have that moment this year — someone makes a putt on the last hole ...”
Some PGA players, citing scheduling conflicts and the Zika virus, have indicated they have no interest in going to Brazil. That includes players like Vijay Singh, Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen.
This week, Rory McIlroy said he’s worried about the Zika virus, though he hasn’t yet indicated a pullout.
DeLaet — a Saskatchewan-bred golfer who was in Saskatoon Wednesday to promote his new craft beer, Prairie Baard — said he’s not taking the Zika virus lightly. But he’s heard enough to make him think the risk is manageable.
“It’s on a lot of people’s minds,” DeLaet said. “But it’s something I’d be willing to take on.”
And if he gets there, DeLaet says he wants the entire experience, Olympic Village and all.
“I think that’s where I stay if I go,” he said. “Some guys are renting houses, but I think I’d try to enjoy the experience as much as I could.
“I definitely want to be on the team. Since they announced golf was going to be in the Olympics, it was one of my main goals.”
DeLaet grins broadly at the notion that Canada enters the Olympic golf tournament as the defending champion. The sport’s last appearance was in 1904, when Canada’s George Lyon captured the gold medal.
If DeLaet gets there, the immense beard he’s grown of late will make him immediately identifiable. But he’s not sure that growth will lead to greater fame.
“Usain Bolt,” DeLaet says, “will probably be a little more recognizable than me.”