World No. 1 Rory McIlroy has hinted he may well decide not to contest the 2016 Olympic Games given the controversy surrounding whether he represents Team Great Britain or Ireland.

It has already been widely reported McIlroy does not want stir up any  potential political repercussions of his decision, and admitting he is facing one of the biggest challenges of his life.

Of course, McIlroy’s concern stems from the fact he was born in Northern Ireland which means that he would qualify for Team GB.

But it was the Ireland based Golfing Union of Ireland, based in Dublin, that help nurture McIlroy’s career to the stage now he was captured two Major Championships.

McIlroy’s situation is very much unique in the sporting the world.

However in  BBC Northern Ireland feature screened last night (Thursday), McIlroy said: “I just think being from where we’re from, we’re placed in a very difficult position. I feel Northern Irish and obviously being from Northern Ireland you have a connection to Ireland and a connection to the UK. If I could and there was a Northern Irish team, I’d play for Northern Ireland.

“Play for one side or the other – or not play at all because I may upset too many people. Those are my three options I’m considering very carefully.”

McIlroy has already been involved with controversy on his Olympic Games involvement claming in one interview he ‘felt more British than Irish’ while there was the story, and  later denied, that McIlroy had been offered the role of carrying the Irish flag in the Opening Ceremony if he represented the Republic of Ireland.

And in commenting on he ‘felt more British than Irish’ McIlroy responded:  “It was a moment, I don’t want to say of weakness, but a moment of, I guess, frustration with it all.”