Northern Irish Pro Golfer Rory McIlroy Withdraws From Rio Olympics Over Zika

"I've come to realize that my health and my family's health comes before anything else," McIlroy, 27, said in a statement released by his management company. "Even though the risk of infection from the Zika virus is considered low, it is a risk nonetheless and a risk I am unwilling to take.

"I trust the Irish people will understand my decision. The unwavering support I receive every time I compete in a golf tournament at home or abroad means the world to me," he added.