Gary Player, "I think professional golf should be kicked out of the Olympics"

Gary Player had some harsh words to say about golfers who have withdrawn from the Olympics. The nine-time major champion and captain of the South African golf team says he would have given anything to play in the Olympics.

Via Fox Business:

"“[With] my 18 Majors and 165 tournaments – [If I could have] had an Olympic Gold Medal amongst them, it would have been the joy of my life. I would have given anything. I would have taken a rowing boat and rowed over to play in the Olympics. And this excuse about Zika is feeble. You have Zika in America in some states right now. You’ve got more of a chance of being killed by a gun or a motorcar in America than getting Zika.” “We all worked hard to get golf in the Olympics. I think professional golf should be kicked out of the Olympics…They should replace us with amateurs who would hold it at high esteem to represent this country with great joy.”"

It’s easy to say “I would have done this,” or “I would have done that,” after you’ve had a career like Player’s, but the fact of the matter is Player didn’t play for nearly as much money as the current field of golfers. Not only that, but Zika isn’t the only concern as there are more issues in Rio that are just as big, if not bigger, than Zika.

Golf doesn’t belong in the Olympics despite what Player says. The format doesn’t fit and the prize isn’t comparable to a major championship win or a FedExCup win.