Adam Scott stays cool on golf’s Olympic future

Adam Scott is delighted that this week’s World Cup of Golf has returned to a more traditional team event but the Australian remains opposed to any future participation at the Olympics.

The primarily individual format used at the last edition in 2013 has been jettisoned in favour of a two-player team event for this year’s 72-hole tournament, starting at Melbourne’s Kingston Heath today.

The first and third days of 28-nation competition will see the teams compete in alternate shot play while the second and final days are best ball.

Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell are representing Ireland at the event, hoping to emulate Pádraig Harrington and Paul McGinley’s victory in 1997.

Former world number one Scott and Jason Day won the last edition, also held in Melbourne, with the latter clinching the individual title for the lowest overall score.

Current number one Day has been forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a lingering back injury so Marc Leishman has stepped in to partner Scott in the Australia team at the tournament.

The Rio Olympics in August consisted of men’s and women’s 72-hole individual stroke-play tournaments as golf marked its return to the Games after a 112-year absence.

Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, skipped the Games, citing scheduling conflicts as the main reason for opting out of the tournament won by Britain’s Justin Rose.

While the current world number seven believes a team-play format could boost golf at the Games, he was far from certain over his own participation at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“I think it could be a positive thing for the Olympics if they use this format but you’re always going to face scheduling issues with the Olympics being in the middle of the year,” Scott said.

“I don’t really know what the answer is for that.”

Offaly man Lowry, meanwhile, believes his friendship with Graeme McDowell can prove productive this week.

“There are a lot of guys here this week who are playing with their friends. Myself and Graeme are very good friends. I was lucky when I turned pro that Graeme was with the same management company, and somewhat took me under his wing.

“So I’ve spent a lot of time with him, played a lot of practice rounds with him over the years, and feel very comfortable both on and off the course.”

It is the 58th staging of the World Cup. Australia are the current holders but USA have the most wins with 24.