'Great White Shark' Greg Norman: Golf's Olympic Fate Lies in Tokyo
Golf legend Greg Norman on the Zika threat and turmoil surrounding the Rio Oympics.
After 112 years, golf will make its long-awaited return to the Olympics in Rio this summer, but without its top players.
Even though he says this will be a “black eye” for the sport, Australian golf legend Greg Norman says he understands why the players would choose to pull out.
“The golf course is located on a polluted swamp, so it is a mosquito heaven, and probably of all sports outside of sailing, [golfers are] probably more susceptible to getting a mosquito bite than anybody else,” he told the FOX Business Network’s Stuart Varney.
The World Golf Hall of Famer also questioned what would happen if Zika strikes at a popular U.S. golf location.
“What happens if the Zika virus is discovered in Florida?,” he said. “If somebody is carrying the virus? Do the players not play in Florida anymore?”
As far as the fate of golf in the Olympics, Norman says it all depends on Tokyo.
“If Tokyo comes off well and all the players in the world go there… I think we are going to have a good change of continuing on with golf in the Olympics,” he said.