Rory McIlroy: Glad to 'somewhat proven wrong' about Olympic golf

— -- FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Prior to golf's inclusion in this summer's Olympic Games for the first time in 112 years, Rory McIlroy not only withdrew his name from the competition, but insisted he would only watch "the stuff that matters."

As it turns out, he did watch the men's golf tournament -- if only the ending.

"It pleasantly surprised me," McIlroy said Wednesday of Justin Rose's narrow victory over Henrik Stenson. "There was more people at the golf events than there was at the athletics. It was good to see, it really was. It seems like it was a great atmosphere down there. I think it was one of the cheaper tickets, as well, and I think that encouraged a lot of people to go.

"To see the crowds and see the turnout, I was glad to be somewhat proven wrong."

McIlroy wasn't the only elite golfer to forgo the Olympics, joining a list that included fellow world top-4 players Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and D