I’m Glad to be Proven Wrong About Golf’s Success at Rio: McIlroy

Rory McIlroy was among the top four players in the world who chose not to play in the Rio Olympics.

Rory McIlroy. (Photo: Reuters)

Rory McIlroy was among the top four players in the world who chose not to play in the Olympics, and the four-time major champion didn’t help the cause when he said it was not his role to grow the game and that he would only watch “the stuff that matters” on television.

He did watch the golf – at least the final hole, when Justin Rose outlasted Henrik Stenson to win golf’s first gold medal in 112 years.

It pleasantly surprised me. There was more people at the golf events than there was at the athletics. It was good to see, it really was. It seems like it was a great atmosphere down there. I think it was one of the cheaper tickets, as well, and I think that encouraged a lot of people to go. But to see the crowds and see the turnout, I was glad to be somewhat proven wrong.

Rory McIlroy

Jordan Spieth. (Photo: Reuters)

Golf did its part with tickets that cost about $16. It was the only sellout among Olympic venues on Sunday, while the men’s final round. The Olympics went as expected for Jordan Spieth.

He said on the day he withdrew that his decision would loom over him during the Olympics. And he was right.

I enjoyed watching the finish to the Olympics, and I wished I was there.

Jordan Spieth

He still believes he made the right decision at the time. Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and McIlroy all specifically cited the threat of the Zika virus, while Spieth said he had broader concerns about the Rio Games and that Zika was only a part of it.

Spieth tweeted after the men’s golf ended that it would be a goal to be in Tokyo in 2020.

More than the competition – Rose and Stenson came down to the 72nd hole, while Matt Kuchar shot 63 to win the bronze – was the Olympic experience. So when he said that “I wished I was there,” Spieth was talking about opening ceremony and golfers spending time at other events.

(With inputs from AP)