Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas Look Forward to Olympics

The Olympics are coming up in 2020 for the golf world. When it comes to Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas, it is something that they are marking on their calendars and paying close attention to.

Earlier this week, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson said at the Saudi International that the Olympics might not be the most important event on their calendars in 2020. But Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas feel differently.

Koepka, in particular, noted that for many other athletes in other sports, the Olympics is the best chance they have to showcase their skills. Meanwhile, golfers, he said, have four majors each year, and those have his attention.

"“We’re going to add the Olympics, and you’ve got the Ryder Cup or the Presidents Cup, plus the FedExCup for us, and that’s a lot of weeks traveling back and forth, a lot of time zones,” Koepka said to reporters on site. “To me, the four majors are definitely more important, and the FedExCup, too, is a goal of mine. We’ll see where everything else falls.”"

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Johnson said it was a scheduling problem and that he was reviewing it with his team.

"“Representing the United States in the Olympics is something that I definitely would be proud to do, but is it going to fit in the schedule properly? I’m not really sure about that,” he said to media in Saudi Arabia."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet in Arizona where the Waste Management Open is being held, Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas embraced the Olympics as being important to them.

"“To be an athlete to have a gold medal, I don’t think there’s anything better than that,” Rahm said to media. “You’re and Olympian and you’re a gold medalist. It’s a very select group of people that can say that in human history. So, it’s, now, it’s definitely a goal and I hope it can be there in Tokyo and fight for it.”"

Justin Thomas, when asked by reporters if there’s any way he would not participate, said no. It would not happen.

When asked about Koepka’s comments, he said, “I feel like it’s a very uncomfortable question to be asked because there’s no right answer. No matter how you say it, you’re going to be ridiculed for it or say your priorities aren’t in line.”

Currently, Thomas is No. 4 in the rankings and is the second-highest placed golfer from the U.S.

"“It’s once in every four years, and you have the opportunity to do it,” he said. “But then again, I’ve never competed in one, he’s never competed in one, so maybe our thoughts will change if we go play in it. But, no, it’s just, it’s very, you can’t really compare it to anything because it’s in its own, I think.”"

If the U.S. Olympic golf team were announced today, Koepka, Thomas, Johnson, and Tiger Woods would be on the team. However, the rankings can change a lot between now and June 22nd when the final standings are revealed, the Monday after the U.S. Open.

Should both Koepka and Johnson elect not to play, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele would be tapped as of this week’s numbers.

Jon Rahm, on the other hand, is a lock to participate because he is the highest-ranked Spaniard in the rankings. It’s inconceivable that he would fall below the current place of Sergio Garcia, No. 42, or Rafa Cabrera Bello, No. 45, between now and June 22nd. They are the three highest-placed Spaniards. As of now, Garcia would be Rahm’s teammate representing Spain.

Because of the way golfers are selected, any country with players in the top 15 can send up to four golfers. That includes the U.S. which currently has nine players in 15th place or better. Next most is the U.K. playing under a banner that includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which has two in the top 15, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood. Since Rory McIlroy has announced that he will play for Ireland, not Northern Ireland, he is not under the U.K. banner which they call the British Olympic Association.

Next. Brooks Koepka: Once again not getting the attention he deserves. dark

The one thing that is certain is that because Japan has a long history with golf, and because so much golf is played there, it is unlikely that there will be any concerns for the athletes when it comes to participating. There is no Zika virus risk, and most golfers feel security in Japan will be properly handled as it is for the many golf tournaments that they already have.

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