Jordan Spieth Will Not Play for Team USA at 2016 Rio Olympics

Jordan Spieth will not represent the United States at the 2016 Rio Olympics, as Bob Harig of ESPN.com and Brian Wacker of PGATour.com each reported Monday.

The 22-year-old golf star spoke about his decision to skip this year's Games on Tuesday, courtesy of WeiUnderPar.com's Stephanie Wei: 

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Spieth says didn't cite Zika, just health concerns in general. This was personal but he understands people will be skeptical of his decision

— Stephanie Wei (@StephanieWei) July 12, 2016"

The top four players in the world— Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Spieth—have now all withdrawn from the tournament. Day, Johnson and McIlroy each cited concerns about the Zika virus when discussing why they wouldn't participate in the Games, according to the Associated Press (via the New York Times).

A number of other top players, including Adam Scott, Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen, Hideki Matsuyama and Charl Schwartzel, will also skip the Rio Olympics, per Kyle Porter of CBS Sports. 

The United States will still feature a strong team. Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed and Bubba Watson have already committed to play, and Matt Kuchar is in line to take Spieth's place, per Wacker.

Spieth's decision to pull out of the Olympics isn't a huge surprise, as he sounded undecided about participating when asked about it during the Bridgestone Invitational, per Porter:

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Always been excited about the possible opportunity, but there are quite a few different factors that would turn somebody away from going. It's not just one, there are quite a few factors. I personally have not received enough information that would allow me to make a confident decision either way at this point. It will be as we gather further information, [and] I'll be able to lean one way or the other. When I feel confident on either side, I'll make the choice. I think July 11th is when the teams are picked, I don't think you have to make your decision by then.

I don't train my whole life... to play in the Olympics like some of those athletes, but now that it has presented itself, it is something very significant I'd love to be a part of. Do I think I'll be there in four years' time? I'm confident that yes, but also it would be cool to be part of the first one. I just don't have a lot of information yet, and I will by next week, I think, have a significant amount more.

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The lack of star power is disappointing when you consider that golf is returning to the Olympics after a 112-year absence. But athletes across every sport have been pulling out of this year's Games—with some of them citing the Zika virus as a reason—so it's hard to blame golf's top players for skipping the event as well.

Still, having a major golf tournament without the star power of Spieth, McIlroy, Day and Johnson is a letdown. While there will still be top names in competition, the return of golf to the Olympics won't generate the amount of fanfare it might have if the top players were participating.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.