Jason Day opens up on his huge Olympics regret

Jason Day admits he got it wrong by turning down the opportunity to represent Australia at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Day, 36, passed up the chance to play in Brazil due to concerns about the Zika virus that was spreading through the South American country at the time.

The Aussie’s absence was particularly keenly felt as he had won the PGA Championship only 12 months earlier and was the reigning world No.1 as golf made its return to the Olympic fold for the first time in over a century.

Speaking ahead of this week’s gold rush at Le Golf National near Paris, where he and Min Woo Lee will attempt to build upon Australia’s impressive start to the 2024 Games, Day conceded he made a mistake in not playing.

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“Looking back on it, there’s some regret, obviously, in not going,” he said. “At the time, I think I was like No.1 or No.2 in the world and I think I was like to a point where I was kind of burnt out, and the last thing on my mind was representing Australia in the Olympics.

“I should have just sucked it up and played. It would have been a great experience for me to go down there and represent something that’s bigger than you, you know what I mean?

“[But] it’s a thrill to be here I’m looking forward to seeing how this week goes.”

Expanding on his reasons for skipping Rio, Day added: “I don’t think it was necessarily from winning too much. It’s more the other stuff that comes with it. Like stuff we’re doing now. The signing of autographs. The pulling of different directions from your team, your family, your coaches.

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“After a while, you can only give out so much of yourself before you pull the brakes and you’re saying, I’m not doing that anymore.

“So looking back on it, I understand how important it is to give yourself time to not only reflect on what you’ve done great but also just give yourself time to reset.

“I live a pretty private life, and I think the ability to say no to things is very important. It’s okay to say no to people. It may hurt their feelings in the short-term but, at some point, you’ve got to give yourself a break.”

Michael McEwan is bunkered's Head of Content and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Head of Content