Scott: The Games should not go on
Adam Scott was one of the first golfers eligible to play in the Olympics to opt out of the Tokyo Games. And as the Games are set to begin at the end of next week, he has no regrets. Scott, in fact, believes the Olympics shouldn’t take place at all this year.
“Definitely no second thoughts about it,’’ Scott said in advance of the British Open, which begins with Thursday’s opening round at Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, England. “It’s questionable really whether [the Olympics] should go ahead, an event of that scale. The fan situation is not good at the moment. I don’t think certain parts of the world understand the fear that the Japanese are experiencing at the moment. They’re not as advanced vaccination wise as some other areas. You have to question whether it’s really a responsible decision to go ahead.
“But that’s not really why I’m not going anyway. I’ve been home seven weeks so far this year, and it’s hard to justify another week away.’’
Scott also skipped the 2016 Games when golf returned to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Jon Rahm gained the No. 1 world ranking when he won the U.S. Open last month, unseating Dustin Johnson. Last week, thanks to the complicated Official World Golf Ranking system, Johnson regained the No. 1 spot, though he didn’t even play, while Rahm finished seventh at the Scottish Open.
Johnson has played once since the U.S. Open, finishing in a tie for 25th at the Travelers Championship.
“We didn’t talk about it,’’ Johnson said of he and Rahm about the rankings flip. “I mean, the rankings, they’re tough to figure out. Obviously, if you play well, you get to No. 1. I need to continue to play well if I want to stay there. Obviously, Jon has been playing really well lately. I need to step up my game a little bit.’’
Brooks Koepka was at Royal St. George’s as a spectator for the 2003 Open Championship, with his mother and brother, Chase.
“I came over here when I was a little kid, watched Ben [Curtis] win,’’ Koepka said. “Me and my brother and my mom came. I must have been like 10 years old or something [actually 13]. We got the opportunity to come over here and play St. Andrews, Carnoustie, come watch I think the final round of the Open.
“It’s kind of funny, I think with about three holes left, I remember Thomas took a few out of the bunker, and I think Ben was maybe a group or two behind him, but I ended up falling asleep right in the little pavilion to the right of 18 and didn’t even see the finish. I remember getting yelled at by my mom — ‘I didn’t bring you over here to fall asleep’ kind of deal.’’