Dustin Johnson would rather attempt to win the FedExCup than represent Team USA at Tokyo 202o as the former World No 1 became the first player to officially pass up a trip to Japan later this year.
Johnson skipped the 2016 edition due to Zika virus fears but has now cited his schedule as the main reason for opting out of the showpiece event.
Johnson’s agent David Winkle confirmed the news.
‘You just can’t do it all, given the newly compressed schedule,’ Winkle told ESPN. ‘Dustin and others learned a lot about themselves and what works for them last year, so I applaud him for not overextending himself and keeping his personal priorities in line.’
The FedEx Cup playoffs start two weeks after the Olympic golf tournament concludes.
‘Dustin gave the Olympics a great deal of thought and we discussed the pros and cons of him participating at length,’ Winkle told Golfweek.
‘At the end of the day, it’s a matter of personal preference and priority. As much as he would be honoured to be an Olympian, the FedExCup playoffs are also very important to him. Having had a few close calls in the playoffs, he really wants to win them before his time is done and feels that he wouldn’t be giving himself the best opportunity to do so if he added lengthy international trip just prior to their beginning.’
