SIX years ago, Catriona Matthew’s trip to Brazil was marred by insect bites that left her with swollen legs and sent her to a hospital.

“It was kind of scary at the moment,” Matthew, from North Berwick, said.

All turned out well.

Her first visit to Brazil since then is going much better.

Matthew, who is representing Great Britain alongside Charley Hull as women’s golf returns to the Olympics on Wednesday for the first time in 116 years, already has watched her countrymen, tennis star Andy Murray and golfer Justin Rose, win gold medals.

She’s staying in the Athletes’ Village, joking that she wishes she was a volleyball player because “I seem quite short in the village”.

And she’s keen to play the Olympics Golf Course against a field stacked with the game’s best.

“It’s a great atmosphere. Staying in the village, there’s a great buzz about it,” she said.

“Watching Andy Murray was great fun. It was the first time I’ve seen him play live. And he’s staying in the apartment right next to us.

"Watching Justin win was great; great for Team GB. Hopefully I or Charley can do the same.”

Matthew, 46, set a goal to play in the Olympics when golf’s return was announced in 2009, the same year she won the Ricoh Women’s British Open, her lone major.

She’s at the stage of her career where thoughts of retiring flash through her mind, especially as the honors pile up, such as being named vice-captain for the 2017 European Solheim Cup team and receiving a lifetime achievement award at this year’s Scottish Golf Awards.

But the mother of two young daughters isn’t ready to put the clubs away just yet. And fears of the Zika virus didn’t keep her from coming to Rio despite her last visit to the country.

“For me, I’m not going to have any more children. The Zika thing was not a huge thing for me,” she said.

“Maybe it was blown out of proportion because I haven’t seen one mosquito."

Matthew is in form, having tied for fifth in the Ricoh Women’s British Open in her last start. She knows Rose is a tough act to follow but was inspired by his victory and the manner in which he achieved goal as he outdueled Sweden’s Henrik Stenson in the final round.

“Obviously I would say I've got a good chance,” she said.

“I played well at [the Open]. You've got to go in with high hopes. The women’s field is a top field but yeah, I've definitely got a chance.”