McIlroy may skip Rio over Zika fears

Dublin, May 24

Rory McIlroy took a long time to decide he would represent Ireland at the 2016 Rio Olympics but the 27-year-old world No. 3 could now miss golf's return to the Games after a 112-year absence because of concerns over the Zika virus.

The Northern Irishman had threatened to skip the Olympics as he agonised over representing Great Britain or Ireland in Brazil but after opting for the latter in 2014, the mosquito-borne disease may lead the four-times Major winner to avoid the Games.

“There's going to be a point in the next couple of years where we (McIlroy and fiancée Erica Stoll) are going to have to think about starting a family,” McIlroy said. "Right now I'm ready to go but I don't want anything to affect that." Vijay Singh and Marc Leishman have both withdrawn from the Rio Games due to concerns over the virus. — Reuters