Australian World No. 1 Jason Day is gearing up for a hectic few months on the links but is still undecided on whether his crowded schedule will include the Rio Olympics.
Day said he would be fitting his Canadian Open defense in between the British Open and defense of the PGA Championship title next month and was looking forward to teaming up with Adam Scott at the World Cup in Australia, but was unsure about Rio.
Coming on the heels of Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy’s announcement on Wednesday that he was skipping the Olympics because of health concerns over the Zika virus, it was the first question Day faced from reporters at the PGA Championship Media Day at Baltusrol Golf Club.
“Him (McIlroy) and Erica (Stoll) are looking at getting married soon, and obviously looking to start a family. I’m past that, but also looking to have some more babies,” said Day, who has a son Dash and infant Kim with his wife, Ellie.
“I respect his decision because obviously it’s a tough one going from trying to represent your country and trying to win a gold medal but also understanding that it’s a life decision that you have to make just in case there’s a small percentage that it will happen. Family for me is priority number one, so I’ve got to make sure that they’re happy and then probably I’ll make the decision,” Day added.
McIlroy joined a number of other big names, including Fiji’s Vijay Singh and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, in withdrawing from August’s Olympic golf tournament because of the Zika virus.
The mosquito-borne virus can cause crippling birth defects and, in adults, has been linked to the neurological disorder Guillain-Barre. Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that the Games did not need to be moved or postponed because there is “a very low risk” that holding the event in Brazil will cause further spread of the virus.
Day is bracing for an intense stretch of golf with or without the Olympics. “Play three weeks in a row and then a week off, and the Olympics, and then a week off. (Then) Three weeks in a row for the FedEx (playoffs), then got the Tour Championship. It’s hard,” said the 28-year-old Australian.
But it’s not so gruelling that Day wasn’t looking forward to a trip back home to Australia for more golf. “I’m planning on playing the World Cup with Adam Scott,” he added. “I think we’d be a great team for the World Cup. We won the World Cup last time in Melbourne together (2013) and I’m thinking about playing the Australia Open as well.”

Third-ranked Park drops out of US Women’s Open
Seven-time major winner Park In-Bee, the world number three from South Korea, withdrew from next month’s US Women’s Open on Wednesday with a nagging left thumb injury. Park withdrew from the July 7-10 event at CordeValle in San Martin, California, after pulling out following the first round from two events last month because of the injury. She also missed the cut earlier this month at the second women’s major, the Women’s PGA Championship.
The 27-year-old from Seoul won the Women’s PGA, formerly the LPGA Championship, the past three years, took the US Women’s Open in 2008 and 2013, captured the ANA Inspiration in 2013 and the Women’s British Open last year. Her chance to defend in Britain, if she heals in time to compete, will come from July 28-31 at Woburn in England.
Replacing Park in the US Women’s Open field will be 17-year-old amateur Zhang Yunjie of China. She was first alternate from the China qualifying site and will make her US Women’s Open debut.
Because no non-exempt players won LPGA events between last year’s US Women’s Open and the May 4 entry deadline, organisers added to the field England’s Hannah Burke, the first alternate from the England qualifier. Burke, 28, plays on the Ladies European Tour and will also make her US Women’s Open debut.