BETHESDA, Md. — When Venezuelan golfer Jhonattan Vegas thinks about the Olympics, he pictures the opening ceremony, walking with all of the athletes, waving his country’s flag in front of an international audience.
He started to imagine the moment a few years ago after the International Olympic Committee voted in 2009 to reinstate golf to the 2016 and 2020 Olympics after a 112-year hiatus. Now Vegas, No. 48 in the International Golf Federation’s Olympic rankings, is less than two months from participating in the ceremony.
Despite public concerns about the Zika virus and security in Rio de Janeiro, Vegas is excited to achieve his Olympic dream.