RORY McILROY has been rapped for pulling out of this weeks 5.7million Turkish Airlines Open over security fears.
The world No2 was due to pick up more than 1million in appearance money alone and would also have started as clear favourite for the 920,000 first prize in Antalya.
But he withdrew because of concerns over the border battles between Turkey and Syria even though the event is almost 1,000 miles away from the war zone.
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Ryder Cup team-mates Martin Kaymer, Matt Fitzpatrick and Rafa Cabrera-Bello also withdrew, along with US star Patrick Reed.
And only three of Europes top-ten money-winners this year Danny Willett, Tyrrell Hatton and Lee Westwood are playing.
Tiger Woods was also due to appear but pulled out last month because of ongoing health problems.
The president of the Turkish Golf Federation, Ahmet Agaoglu, said: Im surprised and disappointed as I learnt Rory had dropped out in the media.
Tiger sent me an email an hour before he announced he was going to pull out and apologised.
He said he knew we would be disappointed but he was more disappointed than anyone.
Agaoglu reckons the players decisions to pull out had echoes of the farcical Olympic Games withdrawals also headed by McIlroy, 27 because of fears over the Zika virus.
Agaoglu added: Over the last few months we have seen there is a lot of difference between top golfers and top athletes, with some golfers missing events because of a few mosquitoes.
True sports people rise above this.
There are things happening everywhere in the world. If they are afraid of such things, there is no safe place.
Antalya is one of the largest tourist destinations in the world and not a single person has been killed or injured by a terrorist attack here.
This is the safest city in Turkey. This is the safest hotel and golf course in the world. It is very well protected.
Westwood said: The world we live in, anything can happen anywhere and Turkey is no different to anywhere else. I had no security worries.