Marc Leishman will not be in Rio. (USATSI)
Marc Leishman will not be in Rio. (USATSI)

Rumors have persisted that the real reason so many golfers are withdrawing their names from consideration for the Rio Olympics later on this year is the Zika virus. The virus, as everyone knows by now, is scary and can cause abnormalities in unborn children.

Which leads us to Marc Leishman.

Leishman, who was in line for an Australian Olympic bid along with Jason Day after Adam Scott withdrew, has removed his name from consideration. His concerns are more specific than those of guys like Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.

Or he's at least more forthcoming about them.

"Last April, my children and I almost lost my wife Audrey to toxic shock syndrome," Leishman told Golf Channel.

This is true. She had a five percent chance to live.

"Since then, Audrey has been prone to infection and is far removed from 100 percent recovery of her immune system," Leishman said. "We have consulted with Audrey's physician and due to her ongoing recovery and potential risks associated with the transmission of the Zika virus, it was a difficult yet easy decision not to participate."

Marcus Fraser and Matt Jones are next in line after Leishman to get Australia's bid which means we're digging pretty deep into the Australian well.