Australian Jason Day still regrets skipping the Olympics when golf returned to the program in 2016 in Rio.
Day was the No.1 player in the world at the time and cited concerns over the Zika virus.
“Looking back on it, I should have just sucked it up and gone down and played,” the Australian said on Tuesday in Paris.
“I think in that case it would have been a great experience for me to go down there and represent something that’s bigger than you.”
Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson, also among the top three in the world at the time, also withdrew from Rio and never made it to another Olympics.
Day had reason to think he might not get a chance, either.
He failed to qualify for the Tokyo Games in 2021 while coping with injuries and a downturn in form.
But Day was determined to get back and now he gets the chance to don the green and gold alongside Min Woo Lee, Minjee Lee and Hannah Green.
“Granted, we’re from a pretty small country," he said.
"It’s not like if I was representing America - it’s very difficult because there’s so many good players there.
“I just felt that if I could just play half-decent at some point, I would be able to get back on the team.”
Day twice referenced “burnout” when he spoke about missing the 2016 Olympics.
He was at his dominant best, winning eight times in a two-year stretch and holding the No. 1 ranking for 47 consecutive weeks.
“I don’t think it was necessarily from winning too much. It’s more the other stuff that comes with it,” Day said.
“The signing of autographs. The pulling of different directions from your team, your family, your coaches. Because everyone is pulling at you. After a while, you can only give out so much of yourself."
Day said he had a tough time turning down requests.
“And that’s ultimately what ended up having me burn out pretty quick,” he said.
