Golf's big names start to get yips ahead of Rio

Rory McIlroy. Photo / Getty Images

Golfers have long spoken about getting the yips when they get closer to their putting target.

Those twitches are bothering more of the top line golfers as their date with the Olympics in Rio draws nearer.

When world number 3 Rory McIlroy talks about cancelling his Olympic start because of the Zika virus, tremors will be growing amongst the game and Rio organisers.

Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel, Louis Ossthuizen, Marc Leishmann, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Vijay Singh have pulled out and McIlroy and recent Masters champion Danny Willett are now pondering whether to join that list.

"Right now I'm ready to go but I don't want anything to affect that," McIlroy said while also admitting he might not travel.

"I have been reading a lot of reports about Zika and there have been some articles coming out saying that it might be worse than they're saying and I have to monitor that situation."

Golf is on the Olympic list for 2020 in Tokyo. A vote on whether to continue that association will be made before Japan and a diluted field in Rio will not help its chances.