Can Michael Phelps make an Olympic return with golf?

Phelps is recognized as the greatest Olympian of all time after dominating the sport of swimming for more than a decade.

Since making his Olympic debut in 2000 at the age of 15 as the youngest male swimmer since Ralph Flanagan in 1932, Phelps has amassed 23 Olympic gold medals, 14 more than the second-most successful athlete at the Olympics.

Phelps retired in 2016 and has since taken time to pursue a variety of interests, including a sport he has fancied since his swimming years: golf.

Over the years, he has pursued his interest and played on many tours across the country. It seems as though golfing is more than just a hobby; Phelps is pretty good at the sport!

Michael Phelps of USA in action during the Mission Hills Star Trophy (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Getty Images for Mission Hills)

Although he has been seen at various courses and championships across the country, it is highly unlikely that Phelps will return to the Olympics as a golfer.

After analyzing many interviews with the former swimmer, it is evident that Phelps has worried about the various aspects that go into being a professional athlete.

It seems as though he wants to experience life to the fullest now, ranging from golf to raising a family and everything in between.

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Phelps and golf

The former swimmer has been seen on major professional tours enjoying the sport. After dominating the pool for so long, Phelps developed an interest in golf, and in a 2012 interview with Rick Reilly of ESPN, he said:

"I want to play all the great (golf) courses ... (Bowman) gave me a poster with the 100 greatest courses in the world on it, and every time I play one, I put a little pin in it."

The moment Phelps became a staple in the golfing community was when he successfully completed a 159-foot putt during the 2012 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Last year, Phelps helped the U.S.A. win the 2022 Icons Series golf tournament at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey, along with American footballer Ben Roethlisberger.

Michael Phelps celebrates after Team USA wins the 2022 ICON Series on Day Two of the at Liberty National Golf Club on July 01, 2022 in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

His stroke seems wonderful, but Phelps agrees that he has miles to cover before he can call himself a good golfer. Speaking to Golf.com two months ago, he admitted:

"I don’t think I just do right ... The one thing that’s different for me [than swimming] is wind right and that’s one thing for me that’s hard to adjust"

The 23-time Olympic gold medalist is surely becoming better at the sport, but he is yet to make his professional debut.

With that in mind, claiming that we may be blessed enough to see him make an Olympic return as a golfer is a stretch. However, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy watching him play the sport as he prepares for a few outings this year.