Australia's Scott opts out of Tokyo Olympics

[April 23, 2021]    (Reuters) - Former world number one Adam Scott has decided to skip the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics this year to spend time with his family, the Australian's manager told Golf Channel on Thursday.

Australia's Adam Scott hits his tee shot on the 3rd hole during the first round REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Scott, who won the Masters in 2013 and gained the number one ranking a year later, also withdrew from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games because he was worried about the possible transmission of the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

"With the world being the way it is, Adam is gone 4-5 weeks at a time this year during his playing blocks," his manager said in a statement.

"With three young children at home, this time in the schedule will be devoted to family. It is pretty much the only time up until October when he has a chance to see them for a stretch of time and not only a few days a week."

Scott, ranked 35 in the world, is the second top golfer to say he would skip the Tokyo Games after world number one Dustin Johnson did not put his name forward for a spot on the U.S. team last month.

Johnson had said he wanted to focus on the British Open and the PGA Tour.

The Olympic golf tournament starts on July 29 -- 11 days after the final round of the British Open at Royal St. George.

(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)

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