World number four Rory McIlroy, who claimed earlier this week that the Olympic golf competition “didn’t matter”, withdrew because of concerns over the Zika virus before Graeme McDowell announced he would not be taking his place due to family reasons.

Shane Lowry then followed suit in blaming Zika for his decision not to participate in the first Olympic golf tournament for 112 years.

Their decision left the door open for Harrington and Power to claim Ireland’s places in the men’s event as they were the next highest-ranked golfers from the country on the International Golf Federation’s (IGF) Olympic standings.

Harrington, a three-time major winner, had revealed earlier this year that he would “love to be an Olympic athlete”.

Maguire will be the sole Irish representative in the women’s field having qualified in 50th place on the rankings.

The top 15 men’s and women’s ranked players will earn an automatic berth at this year's Games, with a limit of four golfers from each country allowed in the field of 60.

“It is fantastic to see Leona qualify for the Games as an amateur golfer,” Redmond O’Donoghue, chairman of the Confederation of Golf in Ireland, said.

“She has such wonderful talent and now she has an opportunity to capture a medal at the Olympics so early on in her career.

“Of course it’s very fitting that Padraig has made the team. He has been pivotal in the campaign to have golf reintroduced to the Games. 

"His experience will add another dimension to Team Ireland I’m sure.

“With Seamus we have one of the rising stars of the professional game. 

"He has made great strides this year and has tasted victory in America.

“I wish them all well in Rio.”

The men’s tournament has been overshadowed by a spate of withdrawals as a total of 21 players have opted to skip the Olympic Games.

Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa is the only female golfer to pull out, citing fears over Zika, and world number one Lydia Ko of New Zealand says she is too excited about competing at the Games to worry about the disease.

“I'm more excited about the Olympics, about the Ceremony, about just being part of the Olympic vibe than worrying about the Zika virus,” she told Agence France Presse.

“There are so many experts that are taking care of all that and we've just got to trust them.”

Full list of male golfers to have withdrawn from Rio 2016: