Rory McIlroy Zika virus concerns ease ahead of Rio Olympics

World number three Rory McIlroy says his concerns about competing in the Olympics this year due to the ongoing threat of the Zika virus have eased.

McIlroy is set to represent Ireland in Rio as golf returns to the Games for the first time since 1904, but revealed last month he was monitoring the situation in Brazil following his engagement to Erica Stoll and Zika’s links to defects in newborn babies.

"Since then I've sought out some advice and I had two dead shoulders for about four days last week because I got my shots and whatever I needed to get for going down there," McIlroy said yesterday ahead of the Memorial Tournament.

“Obviously, there’s no vaccination for Zika.

Global epidemic

“I think what the health experts are really worried about, it’s not the individual cases. It’s the fact that 500,000 people go to Rio and they spend three weeks at the Games, they go back out of Rio and some might have contracted Zika and don’t know about it, and then all of a sudden instead of it being this virus that’s contained in a certain part of the world, it’s now a global epidemic. And I think that’s the real concern.

“So for me to go down there, even if I was to get Zika, it’s six months and it’s a virus and it works its way out of your system. And it’s nice that we can come back, and (if you) feel like you’ve had some of the symptoms down there, you can get tested for it, and it’s either a yes or a no you’ve had it.

“I’m ready to play. I feel like the advice I’ve sought out over the past 10 days has put my mind at ease and makes me more comfortable going down there knowing that, even if I do contract Zika, it’s not the end of the world. It takes six months to pass through your system and you’re fine.”

McIlroy said his patience had almost run out before securing his first win of the season in brilliant fashion in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open last month.

McIlroy had been frustrated at failing to turn good performances into victories in 2016 and saw his three-shot lead after 54 holes become a one-shot deficit with three holes remaining at The K Club as Scotland's Russell Knox carded four birdies and an eagle in a final round interrupted twice by hailstorms and torrential rain.

However, the world number three then birdied the par-five 16th as Knox three-putted and, after lipping out for birdie on the 17th, fired a stunning approach from 252 yards to within three feet of the hole on the 18th for a closing eagle.

“I flew back after The Players [Championship] and landed in Dublin. I met mum and dad in the hotel on Monday night and the first thing my dad said to me is, ‘You looked miserable on the course’.

Frustrating

“I was like, ‘well, I’m not miserable. I’m not happy, but it’s been a frustrating few months because I feel like my play has been better than the results have been dictating’. But at the same time, it’s not all about just playing well. You need to play well when it matters, and that’s what I was not doing.

“I put myself in position this year to play well going into weekends or final rounds, and not being able to do it, that was the frustrating thing. So to finally get over the line and get that win in Ireland, there was relief in there. But at the same time I never knew how much it meant to me to win at home until I actually did. When it hit me and to see all the people supporting out there, it was really cool.

“I wish I would have had a win earlier than that point of the year, but it was a pretty nice way to get that first one of the year. I think I did need a win. As much as I was trying to just keep focused on playing well and focus on the process and it will happen sooner or later, I think all my patience was sort of dried up.

“It looked for a little part of the back nine there on Sunday that it wasn’t going to happen. Anyway, I pulled a couple of shots out of the bag when I needed to. Thankfully, it went my way.”

McIlroy has been paired with world number two Jordan Spieth for the first two rounds, with world number one Jason Day also competing. Spieth's triumph in the Dean & Deluca Invitational on Sunday means the world's top three have each won their last event, with Day winning The Players.