GUYANCOURT, France — The Olympics are a big topic of discussion here at the 100th French Open, which starts Thursday at Le Golf National, southwest of Paris.
With Northern Irishmen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell deciding last week not to play in the upcoming Rio Games, golf observers wondered who might be next. The answer came Tuesday in Akron, Ohio, when World No. 1 Jason Day of Australia decided to forgo the games, citing family reasons. His announcement was followed by the withdrawal of Ireland’s Shane Lowry, the defending champion this week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
In a statement via Twitter, Day cited concern about the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease associated with birth defects and for which there is no known cure, as his reason to skip the Aug.