Graeme McDowell has followed Rory McIlroy's lead in withdrawing from the Ireland team for the Rio Olympics.
McDowell wasn't expected to be involved with the Olympics until McIlroy withdrew, as countries with players ranked outside the world's top 15 are only allowed two players to represent them. Shane Lowry and McIlroy were ranked ahead of McDowell, but after McIlroy withdrew, G-Mac was next up.
McDowell has chosen to stay at home with his wife expecting a second child in a few weeks after the Olympics, and had decided that he would not travel outside of America, where the family live, leading up to the birth.
McDowell released a statement:
My statement on my Olympic Golf participation in Rio. pic.twitter.com/y7ufEXXWIl
— Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) June 23, 2016
The next eligible player on the list would be Padraig Harrington who would comfortably be within the qualifying ranking. Seamus Power (281) is also within the qualifying criteria, but would need to leapfrog Harrington (167) in the rankings to be within Ireland's top two. Paul Dunne would need to improve from 389th, to at least 349th to get within the ranking criteria.
Although, Power and Dunne would need to beat Harrington in the rankings to go, because it doesn't look like he is going to withdraw:
Harrington from last year: "The Olympics is a big goal of mine and I’d love to be competing in Rio next year"
— ciarán lennon (@ciaranlennon) June 23, 2016
Qualifying for the Olympics ends in three competitions time on Monday 11th July.
See Also: How Golfers Qualify For The Olympics: Who Will Represent Ireland In Rio?
Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
