World number one and current PGA Championship winner Jason Day is the latest big name golfer to pull out of the Olympics in Rio this summer. Like with Rory McIlroy the Australian cited fears over the Zika virus.
After the sport's most recognisable name outside of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, had backed out of golf's first Olympic appearance in 112 years there was hopes that the world number one Day would play.
However the Australian has followed suit because of fears over Zika virus. The virus is carried by mosquitos and can spread from pregnant women to the fetus and can cause severe brain malformations, and other birth defects.
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In a statement on Twitter Day said he was pulling out with "deep regret" and that him and his wife had hoped to add to their two children:
Day follows McIlroy, Branden Grace and Vijay Singh and Marc Leishman pulling out of the event because of the health fear whilst Graeme McDowell has pulled out because of the birth of his next child and Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen have cited scheduling as their reason.
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All the big names pulling out is a blow to the sport and it might not be over just yet with Danny Willett, the current Masters champion, also considering his place in Brazil.
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