Rory McIlroy Pulls Out of Rio Over Zika

Rory McIlroy, the 27-year-old Irish golfer, has withdrawn from the Rio Olympics over concerns about the Zika virus. The sport is returning to the Olympics after 112 years away. Despite the low risk of contracting the infection, McIlroy said it “is a risk nonetheless and a risk I am unwilling to take” since his engagement to Erica Stoll. He said his plans to start a family soon affected his decision. “I’ve come to realize that my health and my family’s health comes before anything else,” McIlroy said. “I trust the Irish people will understand my decision. The unwavering support I receive every time I compete in a golf tournament at home or abroad means the world to me. I will continue to endeavor to make my fans and fans of golf proud with my play on the course and my actions off it.”