But McIlroy has made no secret of his contempt for golf as an Olympic sport.
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He explains why he dragged his feet on making the decision.
“Probably the first time I’ve been compared to the Beatles”, he said, managing only the hint of a smile.
Jordan Spieth’s press conference had preceded McIlroy’s and the American spoke at length about how his decision not to go to Rio was “the hardest he had ever had to make”.
Spieth, the last of the top four to pull out of the Games, cited “health concerns” including – but not exclusively – the threat of the Zika virus for his absence.
“I’m not specifically pinpointing any one thing in my health concerns”, he said, referring to the mosquito-borne virus that the World Health Organisation says is spreading rapidly in the Americas.
“You guys have put that out without me saying it”. After all, there’d be little reason not to so long as there aren’t any health concerns or serious conflicts with his PGA Tour schedule.
“I do sympathise with the guys who are at that phase of their lives where either their wives are pregnant or having children in the near future”. Obviously, would have rather had the focus be on the Open Championship, but it hasn’t been the beginning of this week. “If golf is in the Olympics and golf wants to be seen as a mainstream sport as such, it has to get in line with the other sports that test more rigorously”.
“I will be, I’m sure, at times, pretty upset that I’m not down there” in Brazil, he said. When challenged if he thought he had betrayed the game, McIlroy said: “I don’t feel like I’ve let the game down at all”. I think because it was at St Andrews and because I was going in there feeling like I was playing well.
The top four ranked golfers – Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and McIroy – won’t be playing in Rio. Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler are confirmed for the Games rounding out the US squad. “He said ‘No worries, I know you had to make it just for you”.
‘I think they are just using it (Zika) as an excuse due to their crowded programme.
Rory McIlroy dealt another blow to golf’s relationship with the Olympics today as he indicated that he would only watch “the stuff that matters” at next month’s Games.
Ahead of this weekend’s Open Championship, McIlory was asked if he will watch the Olympics when it gets underway next month, and his reply was cutting with regards the importance of golf at the event. “I can probably honestly say that”, Spieth said at Troon in Scotland, where this week’s British Open will be held. “So I will be going back there, I just don’t think it’s appropriate this year”.
The decision whether to keep golf as an Olympic sport will be taken next year.
“I’ll watch the Olympics, but probably not golf”, the 27-year-old said. I got into golf to win.
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For good measure, McIlroy reiterated his stance, adding a jab to proponents of golf’s participation in the Summer Games. “But whether there’s something out there where it can make you an overall better player, I’m not sure”, said McIlroy, who added he gets drug tested about six times a year.
