Rory McIlroy Won't Compete in Rio Olympics Due to Zika Concerns

Rory McIlroy, the fourth-ranked golfer in the world, has withdrawn from the upcoming Rio Olympics due to Zika virus concerns.

“After speaking with those closest to me, I’ve come to realize that my health, and my family’s health, comes before anything else,” the 27-year-old athlete told the New York Times. “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.”

Others have pulled out of the games including American cyclist Tejay Van Garderen and golfers Marc Leishman of Australia and Vijay Singh of Fiji.

The World Health Organization has said in the past that health concerns are low unless you’re pregnant.