McIlroy opts out of Rio Olympics over Zika concerns

Golfer Rory McIlroy became one of the most high-profile sports stars to opt out of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics because of concerns about the Zika virus, saying today it is "a risk I am unwilling to take."

"After speaking with those closest to me, I've come to realize that my health and my family's health comes before anything else," the four-time major winner said in a statement released by his management company.

The 27-year-old McIlroy said this month that he and his fiancee, Erica Stoll, may consider starting a family "in the next couple of years." Zika is a mosquito-borne virus which has been linked to severe birth defects and possible neurological problems in adults.

"Even though the risk of infection from the Zika virus is considered low," McIlroy said, "it is a risk nonetheless and a risk I am unwilling to take."