Tokyo Olympics to be held without fans after new COVID-19 state of emergency declared

There will be no fans at the Tokyo Olympics, making the Olympic golf competitions some of the only tournaments without galleries.

There will be no fans at the Tokyo Olympics.

The announcement Thursday followed the declaration of a new state of emergency, which takes effect Monday and goes through Aug. 22. The Games begin July 23 and end Aug. 8.

The Olympic golf competitions will be played July 29-Aug. 1 (men) and Aug. 4-7 (women) at Kasumigaseki Country Club. In the U.S., fans have returned in force to professional golf tournaments. Even next week’s British Open at Royal St. George’s in England, will feature up to 32,000 fans, according to the R&A.

“The priority will be to determine safe and secure Games,” Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto said at a news conference following a meeting with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the government of Japan, the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee.

“We wanted to full stadium so community people could get involved in welcoming the athletes so we could have a full presentation of the power of sports,” she added. “However, now faced with COVID-19 we have no other choice but to hold the Games in a limited way.”

There is still a chance fans could be allowed at events held outside of Tokyo in areas that are not under a state of emergency.

“We will discuss,” Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa said.

Foreign fans were banned in March, and organizers repeatedly delayed a decision on whether to allow Japanese fans. On June 21, organizers announced there would be a limited number of spectators, with venue capacity capped at 50 percent and a maximum of 10,000 fans.

The restrictions for those in attendance were to be severe, including no cheering or chanting and no sales of alcohol. Organizers also asked fans to go straight home after events, fearing people would gather at bars and restaurants afterward.

But Hashimoto warned then that the Games could still be held without fans if cases continued to rise in Tokyo, and they have.

Tokyo reported 896 new cases on Thursday, up from 673 a week earlier. It’s the 19th straight day that cases have topped the mark set seven days prior. New cases on Wednesday hit 920, the highest total since 1,010 were reported on May 13.

“There are many people who were looking forward to the Games, those people who purchased tickets as well as the local community, and we are very sorry we are unable to deliver on the limited Games,” Hashimoto said. “But we want to have a thorough operation to ensure safe and secure Games.”

The announcement is a blow for Tokyo organizers and will add to the cost of the Games for the Japanese people. Local organizers get the revenue from ticket sales, and Tokyo 2020 had originally budgeted that to be $800 million.

The shortfall will now have to be made up by the Japanese. The official cost of the Games is already $15.4 billion, but it’s believed to be much higher – perhaps twice as much.

The Associated Press and Golfweek’s Julie Williams contributed to this report.

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Does an Olympic gold medal mean much to PGA Tour players?

Golfers who turned down their chance to play in the Tokyo Olympics are Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer.

Remember the Zika virus?

That was the virus that had many people, including athletes, concerned about attending the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. Some athletes even used the Zika virus as a reason – or an excuse – for not attending those Games.

Move forward five years, after a one-year postponement for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo because of the coronavirus, and there are still athletes who are finding reasons to not participate in the Games. And once again, men’s golf is one of the sports where some top players are bailing out.

Golfers who turned down their chance to play in the Tokyo Olympics later this month are Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer. All four are major championship winners, and all four would have been given pretty good chances to win a medal in Tokyo. But all four found reasons not to accept their invitations to the Olympics. Adam Scott, another major winner, announced weeks ago he would opt out of the Games.

With golf entering its second year back in the Summer Olympics, the idea that five of the bigger names in the game are skipping the Olympics is disappointing. Their absence begs the question that was true five years ago in Brazil: Do the top golfers care about the Olympics, an event that didn’t seem to care about golf for more than a century and which adds an international competition to a year where the calendar is already pretty packed?

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It’s not just golfers skipping the Olympics

To be fair, those five golfers are just five of the 60 original players who qualified for men’s golf in the Olympics. So that’s less than 10 percent of the original field that declined to participate. In other words, 55 of the original 60 golfers, including some of the biggest names in the golf world, will play in Tokyo. And there were no problems in replacing the golfers who declined to play.

As was true in Brazil, the men are the golfers who are backing away from their Olympic chance, not the women who play in a separate four-day competition. In fact the four American women who qualified for the Games will all play, and LPGA social media was flooded with photos of players like Jessica Korda and Danielle Kang draped in an American flag to celebrate their Olympic berths.

And it’s also important to note that the top two U.S. women’s tennis players eligible for the Tokyo Games and the top four U.S. men’s tennis players who earned berths into the Games also declined their invitations. So it is not fair to target just men golfers for a lack of Olympic love.

The reasons for skipping the Olympics this year may have something to do with the COVID-19 pandemic, and certainly the Tokyo events will be different with mostly local residents being allowed to watch the events in person. But the reason stated most by the five players was just how heavy the schedule in the pandemic year has been. When the British Open is played later this month but before the Olympics, golfers will have played six major championships since last August, with the rescheduled Ryder Cup coming in September after the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Garcia said he would love to represent Spain in the Olympics, but wants to focus on the Ryder Cup instead. Johnson, who didn’t play in the 2016 Games, announced two months ago when he was the No. 1 player in the world rankings that he wasn’t going to the Olympics. Oosthuizen didn’t play in the 2016 Games and is saying much the same thing this year, that scheduling issues are keeping the South African star out of the Tokyo event. Scott said he preferred to return to Australia and spend time with his family after a busy summer in the United States.

So you start to see a pretty obvious pattern — that some golfers who didn’t play in 2016 won’t play in 2021, and for some of the same reasons. The Olympics aren’t that important in the eyes of those golfers, or at least not important enough to disrupt their professional schedule.

Olympics golf will be played this month, and six golfers will walk away with medals of gold, silver or bronze, just like players such as Justin Rose and Inbee Park did in 2016. But golf will have to realize that unlike the 100-yard backstroke or the high jump or the balance beam, the Olympics will never be the end all for some golfers.

Larry Bohannan is The Desert Sun golf writer, he can be reached at larry.bohannan@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4633. Follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at @larry_Bohannan. 

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Field finalized for Tokyo Olympics women’s golf competition

The field has been finalized for the Tokyo Olympics women’s golf competition.

Team USA will match South Korea for the first time by sending four players to the 2021 Olympics, with Jessica Korda taking the fourth and final spot, joining newly-minted No. 1 Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson and Danielle Kang.

Inbee Park, the 2016 gold medal winner, will return for South Korea along with Jin Young Ko, Sei Young Kim and Hyo-Joo Kim.

The stars will be out in force in Aug. 4-7 for the Summer Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club.

“I’ve achieved a lot in golf,” said Park, “won a lot of majors, won a lot of tournaments, but winning the gold medal was something really different. I wish a lot of the players think the same and treat Olympics the same. I think it’s definitely something that you should experience.”

Some players, like Shanshan Feng and Hannah Green, won’t play again until the Olympics, heading back to their native countries, China and Australia, respectively, to quarantine and prepare.

“It’s interesting to see how the men and women have changed their schedule for it,” said Green who, like Feng, will miss the LPGA’s next major. “It’s a tournament that I am prioritizing.”

Feng, the 2016 bronze-medal winner in Rio, might even retire after the Games.

While Germany’s Sophia Popov is fulfilling an Olympic dream that her mother and brother, both high-level swimmers, never realized, the Korda sisters follow in the footsteps of their mother, Regina, who competed in the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul in tennis.

“It’s a great experience, great feeling,” said Regina. “It’s just special.”

The Rolex Rankings were used to determine the field of 60. The top 15 players in the world were eligible, with a maximum of four from each country. After that, a maximum of two players were eligible from each nation.

South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu was the highest-ranked player, at No. 16, who was ineligible to compete.

Full Olympic women’s golf field, teams

Jessica Korda clinches final spot on USA Olympic team, joins sister Nelly

Nelly Korda’s victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship wasn’t the family’s only big accomplishment for the day.

JOHNS CREEK, Georgia – Nelly Korda’s victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship wasn’t the family’s only big accomplishment for the day.

Big sister Jessica secured the fourth and final spot on Team USA’s roster in the Tokyo Olympics, the LPGA confirmed. She will remain No. 13 in the Rolex Rankings after a T-15 finish at the Women’s PGA.

The Korda sisters will join Lexi Thompson and Danielle Kang in the Summer Games Aug. 4-7 at Kasumigaseki Country Club. Lexi is the only returner from the 2016 Games in Rio.

The Korda sisters will follow in the footsteps of their mother Regina, who represented then-Czechoslovakia in the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul.

“It’s cool,” said Jessica. “I’m obviously really sad and kind of disappointed that we won’t have our families there and we won’t be able to go watch other sports. I’m not sure what kind of Olympic experience it’s going to be, but this is not something I’ve ever dreamed, to be an Olympian, because I never thought our sport would ever be there. But it’s really cool. My mom played, dad never did. This is something pretty cool.”

Nelly broke through with her first major championship victory at Atlanta Athletic Club and rose to No. 1 in the world.

“I mean, it’s an amazing opportunity to represent our country,” she said. “Right now, I’m just going to enjoy some time off maybe, and you’ll see us at Dow (Great Lakes Bay Invitational) representing Team Jelly together.”

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Field finalized for Tokyo Olympics men’s golf competition; Sergio Garcia out for Spain

Garcia and Dustin Johnson highlight a handful of the world’s best players who declined to compete.

Major champions Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen joined Masters and U.S. Open winner Dustin Johnson in declining playing spots in the men’s golf competition in next month’s Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The field of 60 was finalized Tuesday; the replacement list was also determined.

The men’s competition will be held July 29-August 1 at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Japan. The women’s competition is August 4-7 at the same locale.

Representing the U.S. will be Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau. Johnson said in March he would not be playing if he earned one of the USA’s four spots. Patrick Cantlay is the team’s first reserve.

“I’m going. I’m so excited. It’s going to be one of the best things of my life,” 2020 PGA champion Morikawa said after tying for fourth in the U.S. Open last Sunday. “To think back that I was an amateur two years ago, literally two years ago, and to be on this team and to be heading to Tokyo puts a smile on my face.”

Garcia, who played in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and tied for eighth, will not join world No. 1 and newly minted U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm in playing for Spain.

“This has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life. I love the Olympic Games, but my first priority (is) to represent Spain on the international stage in the Ryder Cup. My number one goal is to identify in the European team without having to wait for hopeful invitations. Representing Spain in the Olympic Games is an honor and an enormous responsibility that requires 100% of your mental effort,” Garcia said in a message he posted on social media.

He will be replaced on the team by Rafa Cabrera Bello, who tied for fifth in Rio.

South African and 2010 Open championship winner Oosthuizen, who finished runner-up in the U.S. Open, was replaced by Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Germany’s two-time major champion Kaymer was replaced by Hurly Long.

Also deciding not to play were England’s Tyrrell Hatton, ranked No. 11 in the world, Matthew Fitzpatrick, ranked No. 21, and Lee Westwood, ranked No. 27. England will be represented by No. 20 Paul Casey and No. 33 Tommy Fleetwood.

The field was restricted to the top 60 in the OWGR. The world’s top 15 players would be eligible, with a country limited to four players. After that, players will be eligible based on the world ranking, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15.

The medal winners from the Rio Olympics did not qualify – England’s Justin Rose (gold medal), Sweden’s Henrik Stenson (silver) and USA’s Matt Kuchar (bronze).

Full Olympic men’s golf field, teams

Field finalized for Tokyo Olympics men’s golf competition; Sergio Garcia out for Spain

Garcia joins Martin Kaymer, Louis Oosthuizen and Dustin Johnson in declining spots for the Olympics.

Major champions Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen joined Masters and U.S. Open winner Dustin Johnson in declining playing spots in the men’s golf competition in next month’s Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The field of 60 was finalized Tuesday; the replacement list was also determined.

The men’s competition will be held July 29-August 1 at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Japan. The women’s competition is August 4-7 at the same locale.

Representing the U.S. will be Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau. Johnson said in March he would not be playing if he earned one of the USA’s four spots. Patrick Cantlay is the team’s first reserve.

“I’m going. I’m so excited. It’s going to be one of the best things of my life,” 2020 PGA champion Morikawa said after tying for fourth in the U.S. Open last Sunday. “To think back that I was an amateur two years ago, literally two years ago, and to be on this team and to be heading to Tokyo puts a smile on my face.”

Garcia, who played in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and tied for eighth, will not join world No. 1 and newly minted U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm in playing for Spain.

“This has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life. I love the Olympic Games, but my first priority (is) to represent Spain on the international stage in the Ryder Cup. My number one goal is to identify in the European team without having to wait for hopeful invitations. Representing Spain in the Olympic Games is an honor and an enormous responsibility that requires 100% of your mental effort,” Garcia said in a message he posted on social media.

He will be replaced on the team by Rafa Cabrera Bello, who tied for fifth in Rio.

South African and 2010 Open championship winner Oosthuizen, who finished runner-up in the U.S. Open, was replaced by Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Germany’s two-time major champion Kaymer was replaced by Hurley Long.

The field was restricted to the top 60 in the OWGR. The world’s top 15 players would be eligible, with a country limited to four players. After that, players will be eligible based on the world ranking, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15.

The medal winners from the Rio Olympics did not qualify – England’s Justin Rose (gold medal), Sweden’s Henrik Stenson (silver) and USA’s Matt Kuchar (bronze).

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