Jason Day, Shane Lowry bow out of Olympic consideration over Zika

July 1, 2016 by

Add two more, including the world No. 1, to the list of players bowing out of consideration for the 2016 men’s Olympic golf tournament.

Jason Day and defending WGC-Bridgestone Invitational champion Shane Lowry announced on Tuesday that they will not represent their countries in the Olympics over fears of Zika virus.


Day said a decision to compete in Rio de Janeiro would “absolutely comes with health risks to me and to my family.” With hopes of adding to the two children he has with wife Ellie, Day said, in part, “playing golf cannot take precedent over the safety of our family.”

The decision may not be all that surprising considering Day’s allusions at last week’s PGA Championship media day, saying he wanted to add to his family and had to consider that as a factor in his choice. Day had made the choice last week, but he didn’t want to announce it so as to take away from the Quicken Loans National, hosted by friend and mentor Tiger Woods.

Lowry, who was recently married, wants to start his family in the near future.

“Based on these circumstances, I have received firm medical advice that I should not travel to Rio this summer,” Lowry said in a statement released shortly after Day’s decision.


The 29-year-old Irishman and the 27-year-old Day join Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel, Tim Wiklinson, Vijay Singh and Miguel Angel Jimenez as players who have withdrawn their names from consideration. 

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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