“I am truly disappointed, but my current position on the FedEx Cup points list does not allow me the luxury to skip the John Deere Classic or the Travelers Championship,” the 35-year-old said in a statement. “I must finish in the top 125 to gain entry into our FedEx Cup Playoffs. This has to be a priority for me and my family.”
Jason Day of Australia and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland are among the high-profile golfers who have cited concerns about the Zika virus in deciding not to compete in Rio when the sport makes its return to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.
Twice major winner Jordan Spieth is still undecided about whether to participate amid ongoing concerns about Zika, a mosquito-borne virus that the World Health Organization says is spreading rapidly in the Americas.
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“The reason for my decision is not my concern about the Zika virus,” de Jonge said. “It is truly a business decision. It would have been a great honour to play for my country.”
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
