By Brad Lewis
The withdrawal of world number two Jordan Speith from the Rio Olympics has cast an even darker shadow over the men's golf tournament that starts in five weeks.
Speith joins the likes of Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, Jason Day and Louis Oosthuizen as non-starters in golf's first trip to the games in over 100 years.
Jordan Speith (Getty Images)
The Zika virus threat has been a convenient excuse for the men's players as a reason to not play in Rio, but it doesn't appear to have phased their female counterparts - including New Zealand's Lydia Ko.
Lydia Ko (Photosport)
At this stage, just one LPGA player, South Africa's Lee-Anne Pace, has elected to bypass Rio due to health concerns.
Beyond the surface of Zika it does appear that the draw of a Gold medal holds no appeal to a majority of the world's best male golfers, and that's fine.
But why not say that, and follow in the footsteps of Adam Scott and belatedly Rory McIlroy, who earlier this week commented that he wouldn't even watch the golf as it has no Olympic pedigree.
Former New Zealand professional Phil Tataurangi is close to the situation, working as a commentator at a number of PGA tournaments and currently attending Royal Troon for the British Open.
Phil Tataurangi (Photosport)
Tataurangi believes that Zika is just a small part of a combination of factors as to why the big names are pulling out.
"Further health and disease exposure, the IOC drug testing policy and programme, security concerns, travel and accommodations and some logistics were all identified as collective deal breakers," said Tataurangi.
"However, the two main contributing factors for the lukewarm responses from the high-profile players and their representatives that I have spoken to were scheduling and the playing format.
"Several players, some that were in line to qualify and many who were less likely to play in Rio, were very disappointed when the playing format was released.
"For scheduling, the Olympic date that was set for Rio is the week on the world golf calendar that the PGA Championship is normally held.
"That had to be shifted to accommodate the Olympic competition. It was decided that instead of the usual four weeks between the Open Championship and the season's final major it would be just one.
"This didn't sit well for the top players who like to peak for the four majors each year and being forced to prepare for three majors in six weeks, and get up for the Olympics two weeks later before a congested end of year schedule was just too much.
"No other sport holds two of their 'World Championships' in the weeks leading up to the Olympic competition."
Golf now faces the very real scenario that post Tokyo in 2020 it will no longer be part of the Olympic programme.
Earlier this week, IOC president Thomas Bach said the absence of many of the top men from the Olympic golf tournament in Rio de Janeiro will be taken into account in evaluating the sport's future in the Games.
Thomas Bach (Getty Images)
That decision for 2024 and beyond is due to be made next year, and if golf is the flop it appears it will be, then regardless of how great the women's competition is, Tokyo may be the last chance the world's best golfers will have to win an Olympic medal.
Tataurangi certainly sees it that way.
"It will be extremely difficult for the IGF (International Golf Federation) to convince the IOC that Golf deserves to hold its spot based upon the strength of this year's field," he says.
"No other sport will have a field under the qualification criteria as weak as golf. No top four players and 19 players I think would have qualified have opted to stay away."
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