McIlroy had also said that he did not get into golf to “grow the game”, which was one of the motivations of golf’s governing bodies in bidding for the sport to return to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.
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Yulia Kalina, who finished third in the 58-kilogram division in London, tested positive for the steroid turinabol in reanalysis of her stored samples and was retroactively disqualified from the games, the International Olympic Committee said.
“I didn’t get into golf to try and grow the game”, said the Northern Irishman, a four-time major victor. “I on average probably get tested four to five times a year, which is very little compared to the rest of the Olympic sports”. The Olympics is a flawless opportunity to do that.
But the world number seven is keen to take what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity given that golf’s Olympic future beyond 2020 will be decided next year.
Squash missed out on selection for both Rio and Tokyo, with sports including surfing and climbing getting the nod instead.
One former golfer isn’t letting Rory McIlroy off the hook for bashing Olympic golf.
McIlroy, who donated his prize money of £515,000 for winning the Irish Open in May to his own foundation, which hosts the event, added: “The next generation can play golf if they want or they don’t”.
“I think the Zika risk is going to be one of those things that we look back at and think it’s a non-event, hopefully”, said Rose, a former U.S. Open champion now ranked No. 11.
The golfer opened up about his thoughts on the drugs used in sport and further revealed that he doesn’t think that there is any drug that can make someone an overall better player. “I’m not personally taking too much on board by that comment”.
Concern over the Zika virus has been chief among the reasons for players’ absences, but other factors such as the intensity of golf’s calendar and family matters have also arisen.
“Professional male golfers are individual contractors responsible for their own economic well being and those golfers who have withdrawn are very wealthy men”, said Mosher.
“British golf is represented by great champions Charley Hull and Catriona Matthew but across the world, 60 women golfers from 34 countries will tee off in Rio”, Khodabakhsh added.
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“I don’t feel like I’ve let the game down at all”, he said.
