Golfer Rory McIlroy could snub Rio Olympics over Zika fears

Champion golfer Rory McIlroy has revealed he may reject the chance to play at this year's Rio Olympics due to the threat of Zika virus in Brazil.

Fiji's Vijay Singh and Australia's Marc Leishman have already decided not to participate in the Games because of the virus, while Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel have pulled out citing scheduling reasons.

World number three McIlroy yesterday said was keeping tabs on the spread of Zika and conceded it was possible he might join the growing list of absentees.

"There's going to be a point in the next couple of years where we're (with fiancee Erica Stoll) going to have to think about starting a family," he told the BBC.

"As it gets closer I am relishing the thought of going down there and competing for gold.

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"But I have been reading a lot of reports about Zika and there have been some articles coming out saying that it might be worse than they're saying and I have to monitor that situation.

"I am actually going to get my injections on Wednesday - at least I will be immunised for whatever... if I do get bitten by a mosquito down there."

"Right now I'm ready to go but I don't want anything to affect that."

Asked if there was a chance he might opt to stay away, McIlroy, said "yeah", before adding "right now I am going and looking forward to it".

Golf is back at the Olympics for the first time since 1904 and the Northern Ireland star, who has won the PGA Championship twice and the British and US Opens once, has been a big supporter of the sport's return.