SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- Words seemingly not spoken by many male golfers these days: I can't wait to get to Rio.
Bubba Watson typically doesn't follow the script, and the two-time Masters champion certainly has a different view about golf's return to the Olympic Games, which has been met with numerous withdrawals.
"Can't wait to get there,'' Watson said Tuesday at Baltusrol Golf Club, site of the PGA Championship this week. "There's two weeks in between, but it's pretty exciting, and I want to get there.''
Watson, 36, said he has been all-in on the Olympics ever since it became apparent that he had a chance to qualify for the United States, which will send four players to Rio de Janeiro in two weeks because all are ranked among the top 15 in the world.
At No. 6 in the world, Watson is the top American. He will be joined by Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar, all of whom attended an orientation meeting at Baltusrol on Monday that included former Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen.
"He's there to cheer you up and get you excited about it,'' Watson said. "But all four of us are pretty passionate about it. Any time you can play and represent your country to that level; obviously we represent our country this week, but to that level, a higher level, it's pretty special.''
Watson said he had hoped to attend the opening ceremonies, but after competing in the PGA Championship this week, he will play next week's Travelers Championship -- where he is the defending champion -- before heading to South America.
"My situation is different than everybody else's," Watson said, referring to the Zika virus many have cited as their reason for not going. The virus has been associated with a rise of microcephaly birth defect cases.
"We adopted our kids and I'm not fearful of crime or anything like that," Watson said. "So there was no fear at all. It was a go. My wife knew it. She wasn't going to hold me back. I was going to go as long as I made the team."