Golf on shaky road to Rio after player pullouts

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy tees off on the second hole during the final round of the 2011 U.S. Open golf tournament at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, June 19, 2011. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes/File Photo

(Reuters) - Seven years after successfully pleading its case to be re-admitted to the Olympics following an absence of more than a century, golf is on increasingly shaky ground as it prepares to be showcased at the Rio Games next month.

Three of the world's top-10 players in the men's game have already opted out of Rio, along with four other former major winners and exciting Japanese talent Hideki Matsuyama among others. More withdrawals are likely to follow suit.