As Jason Day and Shane Lowry joined the likes of Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Adam Scott in withdrawing from this summer's Olympic in Rio, gold medallist Katie Taylor has wondered "what excuse" the world's top players would have used to miss the Games if it were not for the Zika virus.

Day, the world’s top-ranked golfer, announced on Tuesday that he would not be participating in Brazil citing fears over the Zika virus. His decision follows last week’s news that both McIlroy and McDowell will not represent Ireland in Rio for the same reason.

Day’s decision prompted Taylor to write on Twitter: “Another one bites the dust. I wonder what excuse the golfers would of made if there was no virus.”

Golf is returning to the Olympics for the first time since 1904, but a number of big names, including four-time major champion McIlroy, Fiji's Vijay Singh and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, have pulled out due to Zika concerns. The mosquito-borne Zika virus can cause birth defects and, in adults, has been linked to the neurological disorder Guillain-Barre.

Day said in a statement: “The reason for my decision is my concerns about the possible transmission of the Zika virus and the potential risks that it may present to my wife’s future pregnancies and to future members of our family.

“While it has always been a major goal to compete in the Olympics on behalf of my country, playing golf cannot take precedent over the safety of our family. I will not place them at risk.”