Gary Player gave his thoughts on golf's inclusion in the Olympic Games on Sunday.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Gary Player, nine-time major winner:
"The reason why these guys are playing for a million dollar first prize is that people like Ben Hogan and Bobby Jones in the past what they contributed to the game, so we had better continue to have that thought. I am absolutely in a state of shock to be quite honest with you. I played golf when they wanted to kill me for two years almost every day of my life, I had policemen sleeping in my house every night, sometimes 40 people walking around on a golf course. I played in malaria countries where malaria kills way more people than Zika even thinks about. I played in yellow fever, war zones and my goodness me, here I am hearing players that it interferes with their schedule. Now for me you have three and a half billion people watching the Olympics, golf needs to be promoted, because golf is not healthy amongst amateurs and the play of the average man on the street today. Professional golf is extremely healthy, (it's) never been more healthy, but golf rounds are going down. You can buy a golf club today for a dollar if you take over the debt, it's quite serious. So we needed being included into the Olympic Games since 1904, we needed and we had this great opportunity to promote the game, particularly in smaller countries which benefit both the game and manufacturers et cetera, et cetera. So I think we should try and think positive and hope that the IOC receives us in the light that they did with tennis and continue to let the games go on. But quite honestly I think professional golfers don't hold the Olympic Games in high esteem. I do have respect, I think we should have amateurs participate, not professionals, because they would appreciate the fact."