Charl Schwartzel joins compatriot Louis 

Oosthuizen in deciding to skip Olympics

FROM SKYSPORTS.COM

South Africa's Charl Schwartzel has joined compatriot Louis Oosthuizen in deciding to skip this year's Olympics.

Just days after Oosthuizen added his name to a lengthening list of golfers who have opted to give the Rio de Janeiro games a miss, world No 20 Schwartzel has followed suit.
South African legend Gary Player, who will captain his country's golfers at the Olympics, where golf is returning after a 112-year absence, revealed Schwartzel's decision in a statement.

"I am sad and disappointed that several top players have withdrawn from the Olympic Games in Rio," he said.

"I was sorry to hear that Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel have withdrawn their names from consideration.
"I would have given anything to play in the Olympics. South Africa had a great team, but now obviously, it will not be as good."
Oosthuizen confirmed his decision to skip Rio last week, saying he had pulled out after "family and schedule issues".
Fellow major-winner Adam Scott of Australia also pulled out last week, citing "an extremely busy playing schedule around the time of the Olympics".
Scott's decision was greeted with a chorus of disapproval in his homeland, with Australian swimming great Dawn Fraser leading the catcalls.
"Well done, Adam, great to put your country on hold so that you can fulfil your own schedule," Fraser said.
Player meanwhile said modern players should give back to golf by playing in the Olympics.
"Players today make so much and should be giving back," he said.
"The Olympics is one way they can do that since there is no prize money. Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world and our best players should be showcased on the biggest stage in sports."

Also See:

• Two killed in Rio accident
• McGinley annoyed by Rio snubs

Marc Leishman and Jaco Van Zyl have both moved into the latest projected golf field for the Olympics in Brazil.
A 60-man field will be determined based on the Official World Golf Rankings after the Open Championship. Each country is allowed a max of two representatives, with an exception for up to four players per country if all are ranked inside the top 15. Here is a look at the 60 men currently in line to tee it up in Brazil in a few months' time:
1. Jason Day (AUS)
2. Jordan Spieth (USA)
3. Rory McIlroy (IRL)
4. Bubba Watson (USA)
5. Rickie Fowler (USA)
6. Henrik Stenson (SWE)
7. Dustin Johnson (USA)
8. Danny Willett (GB)
9. Justin Rose (GB)
10. Branden Grace (RSA)
11. Hideki Matsuyama (JPN)
12. Sergio Garcia (ESP)
13. Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP)
14. Byeong-Hun An (SKOR)
15. Shane Lowry (IRL)
16. Marc Leishman (AUS)
17. Soren Kjeldsen (DEN)
18. Emiliano Grillo (ARG)
19. Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA)
20. Danny Lee (NZL)
21. Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
22. Thongchai Jaidee (THA)
23. David Lingmerth (SWE)
24. Victor Dubuisson (FRA)
25. Anirban Lahiri (IND)
26. Martin Kaymer (GER)
27. Jaco Van Zyl (RSA)
28. K.T. Kim (SKOR)
29. Joost Luiten (NED)
30. Thomas Pieters (BEL)
31. Fabian Gomez (ARG)
32. Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)
33. Yuta Ikeda (JPN)
34. Francesco Molinari (ITA)
35. Ricardo Gouveia (POR)
36. Alexander Levy (FRA)
37. Miguel Tabuena (PHI)
38. Graham DeLaet (CAN)
39. David Hearn (CAN)
40. Alex Cejka (GER)
41. S.S.P. Chawrasia (IND)
42. Ryan Fox (NZL)
43. W.C. Liang (CHN)
44. Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
45. Mikko Ilonen (FIN)
46. Ashun Wu (CHN)
47. Brendon de Jonge (ZIM)
48. Camilo Villegas (COL)
49. Angelo Que (PHI)
50. Danny Chia (MAS)
51. Roope Kakko (FIN)
52. Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL)
53. Rodolfo Cazaubon (MEX)
54. Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
55. C.T. Pan (TPE)
56. Wen-Tang Lin (TPE)
57. Carlos Ortiz (MEX)
58. Adilson da Silva (BRA)
59. Mardan Mamat (SIN)
60. Gavin Green (MAS)

+Scotland cannot enter a team of two - It has to be Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So that's why Russell Knox from Inverness is not mentioned. He is behind Danny Willett and Justin Rose, both Englishmen, of course, in the World Rankings.