Jason Day, once the world’s top-ranked golfer, has finally secured a spot on Australia’s Olympic team for the Paris Games, eight years after opting out of the Rio Olympics due to Zika virus concerns.
Day has expressed regret over his decision, citing burnout and a packed schedule at the time. “I was No. 1 in the world, and I was emotionally and physically exhausted,” Day reflected. “I should have gone. A lot of people would kill for a chance to represent their country.”
Day will join Min Woo Lee on the men’s team, while Minjee Lee and Hannah Green will comprise the women’s team. The Lees, siblings from Perth, Western Australia, will make history as the first brother-sister duo to represent Australia in Olympic golf. Minjee Lee, a 10-time LPGA winner, will become the first Australian golfer to compete in three Olympics.
The team qualified through their International Golf Federation Olympic rankings, with Green and Minjee Lee finishing seventh and 11th, respectively.
Day and Min Woo Lee, the reigning Australian PGA champion, will make their Olympic debuts. The tournament will be held at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, near Paris, from August 1-4 for men and August 7-10 for women.
Day, a 13-time PGA Tour winner, has fond memories of watching Australian swimmers and track star Cathy Freeman’s gold medal win at the Sydney Games in 2000. “As a kid, I never thought of the Olympics because golf wasn’t a part of it,” Day said. “But it’s nice to accomplish this goal and represent Australia.”