Lee-Anne Pace on Wednesday became the first female golfer to withdraw from consideration for the upcoming Olympics.
Pace, a 35-year-old South African ranked 38th in the world, expressed concerns about the Zika virus.
“After weighing up all the options and discussing it with my family and team, I have decided that due to the health concerns surrounding the Zika virus, I will not be participating," she said in a release.
“I hope that everyone can understand that this was a very difficult decision to come to, however my health and my future family’s health must come first.