New Zealand’s top-ranked Danny Lee muscled his way towards victory in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open but then singled out the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the root cause ahead of the certain likelihood in withdrawing from next month’s Olympic Games.
Lee, 25 signed for a six under par 66 to move to seven under par and just a shot from the lead in bright but continuing windy conditions on day two of the event at Castle Stuart course near Inverness in northern Scotland.
Sweden’s Alex Noren, also shooting a 66, moved one shot clear of the field on eight under par.
The Korean-born Kiwi Lee capped a bogey-free round with four birdies in a six-hole stretch at the start of his inward nine to end his round at lunch one clear of Italian Matteo Manassero and in-form South African Branden Grace, who each shot 67s,
However it was Sweden’s Alex Noren, also with a bogey-free 66 late in the day to take the lead at eight under par.
Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington, who will spearhead the Ireland Men’s Olympic Golf Team, is well placed adding a 69 to move to five under par.
Kiwi Danny Lee has posted 11 birdies in his two rounds and with $US 5,500 assured of being donated to the deadly West Virginia Flood Relief campaign.
Lee had been due to compete as defending champion in this week’s PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic but with the tournament cancelled due to the widespread West Virginia flooding that resulted in the death of some 23 people.
And in a superb gesture to help in the recovery of the Greenbrier region Lee is donating $US 500 for every birdie and $US1,000 for every eagle he scores at the Scottish Open.
To date, Lee has managed 11 birdies over the two rounds and the assurance of $US5,500 to the flood relief appeal.
“I love to play golf every week but then making birdies and eagle are very important to me this week, as it’s very unfortunate what happened in West Virginia,” he said.
“I won the Greenbrier Classic last year, and it was my first PGA Tour win, and I was looking forward to defending my title and interacting with a lot of the fans, as the people were very nice to me.
“It’s really unfortunate what happened there, and hopefully I can make a little difference to the lives of the people affected so that’s why I am trying to make as many birdies as possible to a little bit of help.”
But while Lee is happy to help West Virginia flood victims he is far from pleased with the lack of information forthcoming from the International Olympic Committee on the safety of teeing-up on August 10th in Rio de Janiero.
So much so, Lee is threatening to join fellow New Zealander Tim Wilkinson in withdrawing ahead of the cut-off date for qualifying next Monday – July 11th.
If so, the current World No. 48 would bring to 15 the number of leading male golfer’s deciding not to compete in Rio.
“I am looking forward to representing New Zealand as it’s going to be a huge honour for me to compete as an Olympian but it seems a lot of players are worried about security and the Zika virus and I have to honest as I am worrying about that, too,” he said.
“I don’t want to get kidnapped. I don’t want to get sick. I am still young to start a family, and at one point in my life, I hope I can have a family.
“But the International Olympic Committee need to provide the truthful answer about the Zika concern and all the security-related issues going on there in Rio.
“It just seems like, and this is the view of many, and that is the Olympic Committee is giving us a 100% answer to our questions.
“I am committed standing here right now to go to Rio and proudly represent New Zealand but then if I do not receive the information I have been seeking for a long time now, I will be withdrawing.
“The thing is the majority of Olympians heading to Rio will be competing indoors and inside stadiums whereas the golf competition is being played on reclaimed land with much water lying about.
“And from the information I have received it is areas with large bodies of near still water is what you should be avoiding yet the golf is being held in an area with such conditions.
“It means being out at the golf course for five to six hours every day for some six days and I see that as exposing yourself to more chance of being bitten by mosquitoes than compared to those Olympians competing inside the main stadiums and arenas.”
Fellow PGA Tour based New Zealander Tim Wilkinson withdrew on May 10th in representing his country and if Lee should also decide not to go it would leave Michael Henry and Gosh Geary to represent the Land of the Long White Cloud.
