Rory McIlroy Probably Won't Watch Olympic Golf, Says, "I didn’t get into golf to get other people into the game."

Rory McIlroy claimed during an interview with David Feherty that “It would be very cool,” to win an Olympic medal and that he could eventually see that being similar to a fifth major championship every four years, but after winning the Irish Open he changed his stance and withdrew from the Olympics.

Before that interview, I wrote that McIlroy’s decision alone could decide the fate of golf in the Olympics beyond the 2020 games because, as Kyle Porter likes to say, Rory is the alpha. McIlroy’s decision to withdraw paved the way for Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, and then Jordan Spieth to all also withdraw. Sure they can blame the Zika Virus, and it is a legitimate excuse, but is that really the reason they’re skipping a chance to win a gold medal?

On Tuesday at Royal Troon, where McIlroy is looking to become only the fourth player to win five majors before the age of 30, McIlroy dropped in like one of Daenerys’ dragons from Game of Thrones and blew fire all over the Olympics.

"“Honestly, I don’t think it was as difficult a decision for me as it was for [Spieth]. I don’t feel like I’ve let the game down at all. I didn’t get into golf to try and grow the game. I got into golf to win championships and all of a sudden you get to this point and there is a responsibility on you to grow the game, and I get that. But at the same time that’s not the reason that I got into golf. I got into golf to win. I didn’t get into golf to get other people into the game.” “I’m very happy with the decision I made. I have no regrets. I’ll probably watch the Olympics. But I’m not sure golf will be one of the events I watch.”"

And there it is. The actual truth and not the narrative that many want to hear or that many want the public to hear. McIlroy’s decision to withdraw based on the Zika Virus now seems like more of an excuse when actually, he just doesn’t care about playing for a medal when he’s got major championships and millions of dollars on his mind.

I don’t blame him. Golf doesn’t fit in the Olympics. It didn’t in 1904 and it doesn’t in 2016. If golf belonged in the Olympics, the time to try it was during the reign of Tiger when fans were flocking to the sport.

That brings me to another point. McIlroy said he didn’t get into golf to “grow the game,” and he’ll likely take a lot of heat for that comment, but why should he? McIlroy is 27, when he was eight Tiger Woods won his first Masters. People expect McIlroy, Spieth, Day, Johnson, Fowler, Watson, and the rest of the field to help “grow the game,” but that isn’t their job. Their job is to play golf and win.

Jordan Spieth also said something along the same lines as McIlroy:

"“As for me, I don’t feel like I have to carry the torch for the sport or anyone else, this is bigger than that for me personally.”"

We credit Tiger Woods too much when we say he helped “grow the game” because, no, all he did was win. The fact that he was a multi-racial man dominating a predominately white sport helped add fuel to the fire and added more exposure. Also, Tiger blowing away his competition and doing so in a very animated way caught the eye of many casual and non-golf fans,  sparking interest in the game of golf. Throw in the millions of dollars that companies used to push him onto TVs around the globe and you’ve got a pretty big spike in golf fans.

Unfortunately, no one has stepped up to become the next Tiger Woods. The current big names are battling it out for majors and the top of the world golf rankings so they get labeled as ambassadors for the sport when all they’re trying to do is win.

These guys may be the new faces of golf, and many may want them to make it their job to help grow the game, but let’s be honest, the only way that is actually going to happen is if they win and win a lot.