Rory McIlroy withdraws from Memorial Tournament

Rib injury forces four-time Major winner to skip last warm-up before US Open in June

Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from next month’s Memorial Tournament. Photograph: Sam Greenwood/Getty
Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from next month’s Memorial Tournament. Photograph: Sam Greenwood/Getty

Rory McIlroy, the world’s number two ranked player, has pulled out of next week’s Memorial tournament on the PGA Tour and instead has targeted next month’s US Open as his return from injury.

The Northern Irishman suffered what an MRI scan determined to be a “low grade response” to an original stress fracture to his rib during The Players championship at Sawgrass, an injury that forced him to miss this week’s BMW PGA Championship.

Now, a scheduled comeback at the Memorial has also been shelved in extend the recovery period, which would indicate it is more serious that initially thought. “All focus is one getting back to full health for the US Open,” confirmed McIlroy’s agent.

The player missed two months of the early part of the season when first suffering the stress fracture at the South African Open in late January.

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On his return from the injury, McIlroy secured three top-10 finishes in strokeplay events - at the WGC-Mexico, Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Masters - only to suffer a setback prior to the Players where he finished tied-37th. Scans subsequently revealed no new injury but confirmed some damage related to the original injury. The US Open takes place at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, starting on June 15th.

Philip Reid

Philip Reid

Philip Reid is Golf Correspondent of The Irish Times