'I'm there': Day eager to represent Australia at 2020 Olympics
Jason Day has declared his intention to represent Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, admitting it was disappointing to skip the 2016 edition in Brazil due to fears of the Zika virus.
Day was eligible to play on the Australian men's team in Rio de Janeiro but was among a plethora of golf stars who avoided the risk of exposure to the mosquito-transmitted Zika virus, which is prevalent in Brazil.
Replay
But with the 2020 Summer Games being held in Tokyo, Day is keen for a chance to become an Olympian after golf was reintroduced in 2016 following a 112-year absence.
"Yeah of course I'd love to play in 2020," Day said ahead of the US PGA Championship in New York.
"Last time, [wife Ellie] and I were still trying to have kids and there was a chance of the Zika virus. That was the only concern we had.
"But if I have the opportunity to play in Tokyo, then I'm there.
"To represent your country is always special and to know you are an Olympian is something I'm aiming for."
In 2016, the men's and women's events each had 60 players, with the top 15 golfers on the world rankings automatically eligible to play.
Countries were allowed to field four players through the top 15, while the remaining spots were filled by the highest-ranked players from countries that do not already have two golfers qualified.
Day and countrymen Adam Scott and Marc Leishman all declined, leaving Marcus Fraser and Scott Hend to represent Australia.
Former world No.1 Scott was strongly opposed to golf's Olympic reintroduction at the time, stating the majors were priority for many golfers.
"My position hasn't really changed from; it is certainly not the priority for me," Scott said at Bethpage in New York.
"It's so far down the list of thought, I can't give a good indication of where I'll be at at that point."
Scott also pointed to a scheduling issue, with the 2020 Olympics beginning just five days after golf's British Open in England.
The Olympics will also come just a couple of weeks before the US PGA Tour's $US70 million ($101m) FedEx Cup play-offs series.
"I don't know what's going to happen, whether [PGA Tour] events will be moved around again, but every [player] will end up making decisions that best suits them," Scott said.
However, Scott would not be eligible based on the current world rankings – Australia's team would be world No.14 Day and No.23 Leishman.
Leishman was also fearful of the Zika virus in 2016 but is eager to represent Australia next year.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy said he would represent Ireland, rather than Great Britain, in 2020 while Tiger Woods confirmed he would represent the American team if eligible.
AAP