McIlroy: I'll watch the Olympics, but not the golf

Speaking ahead of the tournament at Royal Troon, McIlroy insisted he felt no obligation to "grow the game" and said that, while he may watch the Olympics in Brazil, the golf in Rio would be a turn-off.

Rory McIlroy says he doesn't regret the decision not to participate in Rio Olympics.

Rory McIlroy issued a scathing attack on golf at the Olympics in the wake of yet another high-profile withdrawal.

The Northern Irishman announced he was pulling out in June, while Jordan Spieth made the same call this week in the build-up to The Open, citing health concerns amid fears over the Zika virus.

Speaking ahead of the tournament at Royal Troon, McIlroy insisted he felt no obligation to "grow the game" and said that, while he may watch the Olympics in Brazil, the golf in Rio would be a turn-off.

"Honestly, I don't think it was as difficult a decision for me as it was for him," the four-time major winner said of Spieth. 

"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.

"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."

Asked what events he will take in, the 27-year-old offered a final dig: "Probably the events like track and field, swimming, diving - the stuff that matters."

Spieth's call saw him follow in the footsteps of fellow top-four players Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and McIlroy as golf returns to the Games for the first time since 1904.