The top table of three men in suits were sombre, almost as if it would be inappropriate to celebrate drawing a line under final qualification - for men and women - for the Olympic Games. This was a red letter day, but not of the kind anticipated: another withdrawal, this time a recent phone call from Jordan Spieth to confirm his absence from Rio due to the threat of the zika virus, only served to undermine the occasion.
As Ty Vytow and Anthony Scanlan sat on either side of him, Peter Dawson - the president of the International Golf Federation - sought to keep a stiff upper lip on the last day of a two-year qualifying process that had started at the 2014 British Open at Royal Liverpool, where Rory McIlroy had claimed his first Claret Jug. McIlroy, of course, is one of those who decided that it is not worth the risk of venturing to Rio de Janeiro.
In contrast, each and every one of the top men are here this week at Royal Troon for the 145th edition of golf’s oldest championship, the British Open.
Spieth's withdrawal at the 11th hour was another blow to the men's tournament. It means that the top four ranked men in the official world rankings - Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Spieth and McIlroy - won't compete at the Olympics, with Bubba Watson, the world number five, the top-ranked men's player. In contrast, all of the top women will be present and correct.
“There’s no doubt that the number of withdrawals hasn’t shed golf in the best light, and we have to accept that . . . 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,” conceded Dawson.
In commending how supportive the leading women players have been of golf’s return to the Olympics after a 112 years absence, Dawson expanded of the high profile absentees: “The withdrawals that we’ve experienced (from the men’s tournament) have primarily come from four countries: Australia, Ireland, South Africa and the United States. They’re certainly strong golfing countries, no question about that, but they are a very small minority of the 143 countries in the IGF.”
However, the push to get golf back into the Olympics - achieved in 2009 - came on back of a campaign that came with the promise that the leading players would compete. Through circumstances, mainly concerns about the zika virus, that won’t happen but Dawson pointed out that tennis’ return to the Olympics in 1988 also had a considerable number of no-shows from leading lights before it grew in significance.
“What I’m hoping is that when we come to play in Tokyo in 2020 at Kasumigaseki that the top players do support Olympic golf. I think it’s very important that they do. As I’ve said before, it’s the biggest grow-the-game opportunity available, and we need grow-the-game opportunities. And I can’t think of a better way for players to give back to the game, frankly, than to support Olympic golf,” said Dawson.
The qualifying deadline came and went yesterday, and the situation at least is clear on who will represent Ireland: Padraig Harrington, who was practising on the driving range here as news of Spieth’s withdrawal was confirmed, and US-based Waterfordman Séamus Power, who plays on the web.com tour, will compete in the men’s tournament. Leona Maguire will be the lone Irishwoman competing.
For Harrington, his focus is on the challenge presented by Troon this week. After that, his thoughts will turn to the PGA at Baltusrol. And, only then, to the Olympics in Rio. But as the wind whipped across this Ayrshire links, the Dubliner - one of those who had advocated golf’s return to the Games - conceded that he was delighted at the opportunity to be an Olympian.
“You know, it would be massive (to win a gold medal). I don’t know that winning a fourth Major would make a massive difference to my career, but winning Olympic gold does,” claimed Harrington, who comes into Troon with signs of an improved competitiveness: he was 10th at the ISPS Handa Global Cup on the Japan Tour, t-30th in the French Open and t-21st in the Scottish Open in the past three weeks. This will mark a fourth straight event.
“I could be mentally stronger . . . . if I find the right thing, that can click into place. I’m very happy with my physical game but the mental side is 99 per cent of it. It’s more about getting my head in the right place than anything else, so the next couple of days it’s about preparing like I’m going to play well. Put it like this, I’m not searching for anything,” said Harrington.
