Golf and the Olympics - it was never meant to be. A doomed relationship - and it's not down to Zika. Really, that's just an excuse.
The biggest indicator that this is the case has come today with comments by Rory McIlroy ahead of The Open at Royal Troon.
Three weeks ago McIlroy withdrew from the Olympics citing the Zika virus as his reason. Several of the world's top golfers followed McIlroy in also pulling out, the majority of them using Zika as their explanation.
The veracity of these claims were immediately questioned - no one really believed that Zika was the real reason given the chances of contracting it are so low.
Speaking to the media, McIlroy stated that he will indeed be watching the Olympics, just not the golf - only the sports 'that matter'.
Rory McIlroy: "I'll watch the Olympics, but probably not golf. I'll watch track and field, swimming, diving -- you know, ones that matter."
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelTAN) July 12, 2016
The Olympics will never be the pinnacle of golf. That will always be the majors and as such the sport really doesn't have a place at the games.
Rory McIlroy on skipping Olympics: "I didn't get into golf to try and grow the game. I got into golf to win championships and win majors."
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelTAN) July 12, 2016
It's refreshing to hear McIlroy speak his mind - it's just a pity he didn't admit his real reasons for not competing at the Olympics originally.
Here's the video.
#olympics not a priority for @McIlroyRory pic.twitter.com/OJdtiBlpHi
— Gregg Strellis (@GreggStrellis) July 12, 2016
Photo by David Maher/Sportsfile
