Jordan Spieth Comments on Potential Participation at Rio 2016 Olympics

While several high-profile golfers have already declined to take part in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Jordan Spieth is still weighing his options. 

According to the Press Association (h/t the Guardian), the 22-year-old American is waiting for more information regarding potential risks involved with traveling to Brazil before he makes up his mind:

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Right now, I'm uncertain. Do I feel an added burden? Potentially. I think all four of the Americans do. I feel like one of four with maybe a slightly higher burden now that the guys have dropped out.

I've always been excited about the possibility but there's quite a few different factors that would turn somebody away from going. I have not received enough information to make an informed decision either way or not so as we gather more information I will be able to make a decision one way or the other. When I feel confident, I will make a decision either side.

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World No. 1 Jason Day and No. 4 Rory McIlroy already announced they will not play in Rio due to concerns regarding the Zika virus.

In addition to Zika, Spieth intends to look into other issues Brazil has been connected with in recent years:

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I've heard some stories on both sides about the security threats that Brazil and Rio have. Transportation is a big security issue down there, how to get from one place to another with the different kind of violence that we don't see here. I'm going to get answers soon on how we plan to be secured down there.

This is personal‑safety type and future‑planning type decision which is going to outweigh any pressure that we feel (to compete). Let's not put me on "save the Olympics." The Olympics are going to be fine.

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No matter what he decides, Spieth believes golf's place in the Olympic program moving forward is in jeopardy because of the number of withdrawals that have occurred already: "No matter what I do there's already been enough players (withdrawing) that I think it'll definitely have an impact. Pending some crazy, great finish or whatever, I think there's a significantly lower likelihood now of it staying in the Olympics than there was six months ago."

The two-time major champion is among the biggest golf stars in the world, and Olympic golf is in need of a "face" of the event with Day and McIlroy out of the picture.

Spieth is the type of player Olympic golf coverage could be built around, particularly if he performs well and contends for a gold medal.

Other sports have already been hit hard by withdrawals from huge names—LeBron James and Stephen Curry, for example, have opted against playing for the United States basketball team—and Spieth's absence would have a similar impact on golf.

Olympic golf could be viewed as an unofficial fifth major due to the prestige involved with chasing gold, but if the best players in the world continue to turn down the opportunity, it may well lose its luster.

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