Four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy has reaffirmed his goal to represent Ireland in the Olympic Games later this year and the fact he does not want to disappoint Ireland team captain, Paul McGinley.

With the likes of fellow Major champions in Adam Scott, Vijay Singh and the South African duo of Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel recently declaring themselves unavailable, McIlroy was asked, and on the eve of his Wells Fargo Championship, if he had any second thoughts on competing in Rio de Janeiro.

“There is two reasons and firstly it all depends on how it’s being approached in golf circles given it is being played in Rio this year and it’s being played in Tokyo in 2020, so I’m not sure if we’re going to have another opportunity to win a gold medal given what may happen after 2020,” he said.

Rory McIlroy reaffirms a decision to tee up in Olympic Games and not wanting to disappoint Paul McGinley, the Ireland team captain.

“The second thing, Paul McGinley is the Irish team captain and he is so into it. He’s more into it than I am, quite honestly, but because he’s so into it, I would feel like I’m not only letting him down, I’d let the country down as well.

“Paul’s also a very close friend of mine and I feel like if I didn’t play, I would let him down big time. So that’s why I want to go down and give it my best shot.”

And McIlroy revealed any fear of catching the Zika Virus should be negated as a doctor will be on site at next week’s Players Championship at Ponte Vedre in Florida to issue vaccination shots to ward off catching the virus.

“It’s just one week so I’m going to get all my shots next week with the Tour advising a doctor will be on site next week to give us shots so we don’t catch the Zika virus,” said McIlroy.

“So I will go to Rio play four rounds really competitively and try and win a gold medal. And if you do, I don’t know how that will stack up against the other things that I’ve done in my career now, but maybe I might look back in 20 years time and a gold medal might be one of my crowning achievements in the game, you never know.

“So it’s an opportunity to do something that you’ve never done before.

“And while there is few players who have decided not to play in Rio because of family matters and other things, but while I don’t have those issues of a family or anything else, that’s a good opportunity to go down and do something that you’ve never done before. So if nothing else, it will be a great experience.”