Rory McIlroy has no Rio regrets, claiming golf does not matter at the Olympics
Last Updated: 13/07/16 6:09am
Rory McIlroy has revealed he is unlikely to watch golf at the Rio Olympics and will be focusing on "events like track and field, swimming, diving; the stuff that matters".
American Jordan Spieth has described missing the Olympics as "the hardest decision of his life", but McIlroy insists he has no regrets about swerving the Games in Rio next month.
"Honestly, I don't think it was as difficult a decision for me as it was for him [Spieth]," said McIlroy. "I don't feel like I've let the game down at all. I didn't get into golf to try and grow the game.
"I got into golf to win championships and win major championships, and all of a sudden you get to this point and there is a responsibility on you to grow the game, and I get that.
"But at the same time that's not the reason that I got into golf. I got into golf to win. I didn't get into golf to get other people into the game.
"But, look, I get where different people come from and different people have different opinions.
"But I'm very happy with the decision that I've made and I have no regrets about it. I'll probably watch the Olympics, but I'm not sure golf will be one of the events I watch.
"[I will] probably watch the events like track and field, swimming, diving; the stuff that matters."
McIlroy also believes that golf's drug testing policy has to be far more stringent if it wants to become a long-term Olympic sport.
The Northern Irishman thinks the threat of doping is low because he "does not know of a banned substance that could help a golfer across the board with driving, putting, and concentration", but feels administrators have to do more to bring it into line with other sports.
"On average I probably get tested four to five times a year, which is very little compared to the rest of the Olympic sports," said the world No 4.
"If golf wants to stay in the Olympics and wants to be seen as a mainstream sport as such it has to get in line with the rest of the sports that test more rigorously."
World No 3 Spieth confirmed his absence from the Olympics on Monday, meaning none of the world's top four golfers will feature in Brazil.
The 22-year-old admitted it was a very tough decision but he defended his right to withdraw.
"I'm a huge believer in Olympic golf. I'm a huge believer in playing for your country," said Spieth.
"I don't expect anybody to understand, but trust that I believe I'm making the right decision. It was probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life. I can honestly say that.
"Ultimately a decision had to be made yesterday [Monday], and so I made it."
International Golf Federation president Peter Dawson has described the withdrawal of top players from the Olympic tournament due to the Zika virus as an "overreaction" and Spieth admitted that may prove to be the case.
"No, I mean, it may be," Spieth said when asked if he was annoyed by Dawson's comments. "It very well could be. I'm just not sure."
