Van Zyl can’t wait to tee off on historic day
GOLF tees off at the Olympics in Rio today for the first time since 1904, with a de facto South African due to the hit the first shot.
South Africa-based Brazilian Adilson da Silva, a regular on the Sunshine Tour for years, will have the honour of ushering back a sport whose top stars have boycotted due to lack of interest.
Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and others are not interested in the Olympic experience, but Jaco van Zyl is.
“Words can’t describe what it’s like being here,” Van Zyl, who will be partnered in the men’s competition by Brandon Stone, said.
“Being in the athletes’ village, a part of all of this, is unbelievable.
“Interacting with other athletes, you get to learn about the preparation that goes into their sport, and vice versa.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
South Africa’s top three golfers did not agree, with Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel all making themselves unavailable.
The Zika virus was a popular excuse, but many people here have not even seen a mosquito nearly a week into the Games.
“Golf is an individual sport. You’re basically the chief executive of your own company and ultimately you’re the only one that can decide what’s good for your career . . . they’ve got their valid reasons for not participating,” Van Zyl, said. “I can’t really say I’m too sorry about it, they’ve given me the opportunity to be here. I’ve grasped it with both hands.
He is ranked 71th in the world and Stone is 96th.
“I’ve been playing really nicely, battling with the short game a little bit, confidence started lacking a little bit.
“I took a couple of weeks off, just hit the refresh button and regrouped . . . everything’s falling into place. Mentally I’m in a good place.”
He said the course would be interesting if the southwesterly blew, as it did during one of his practice rounds.
“If it’s the prevailing wind then we’re in for a fun week . . . level par over the front nine was a great score.”
During his time here, Van Zyl has hung out with former swimmer and golf enthusiast Roland Schoeman, in Rio as swimming coach of the Trinidad and Tobago team.
He also got to watch Cameron van der Burgh win his 100m breaststroke silver medal on Sunday night.
Words can’t describe what it’s like being here. Being in the athletes’ village, a part of all of this, is unbelievable