McIlroy facing an anxious wait as back pain persists
RORY McILROY will have an MRI scan in Belfast on Monday amid fears he might have to sit out the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in 12 days.
The Northern Irishman has felt discomfort in his troublesome back after two long practice sessions a week ago in readiness for the Players Championship.
Strapped up with tape to help his posture and taking a regular supply of painkillers, he played well enough over the first 36 holes here to post scores of 73 and 71 to lie nine shots off the early second-round lead held by Louis Oosthuizen and Kyle Stanley.
But, after missing eight weeks of this season already with back trouble and discomfort emanating from the same region, McIlroy will undergo a scan to establish the extent of the problem.
Asked by Sportsmail whether he was worried he was facing another lay-off, McIlroy replied: ‘It might need a week or two of rest but I wouldn’t think any longer than that.
‘I think it’s a muscular problem rather than a joint one. I’ve had enough of both over the years to know the difference, so I don’t think it’s serious.’
Even a fortnight’s rest would mean he misses Wentworth, a massive blow given he is the tournament’s poster boy.
Hopefully, the discomfort is a case of muscle fatigue caused by ramping up his routine after his wedding.
‘I hit balls for four or five hours on the Friday and then again on the Saturday with the idea of building it up again but on Sunday it didn’t feel quite right,’ he said. ‘Maybe I should have taken it a bit easier but I was excited to get ready to play again here.’
Ironically, the fact he was forced to swing within himself to protect his back appeared to help him during yesterday’s round, where his ball-striking was more Rory-like.
After hitting only six fairways on Thursday, he doubled that number to post a 36-hole total matched by world No 1 Dustin Johnson. Both are in need of a big third round to have any chance of sealing victory.
Six-under-par rounds from both Oosthuizen and Stanley saw the pair spring two shots clear of JB Holmes and one further ahead of Vijay Singh.
Veteran Singh, 54, managed to shoot another under-par round, this time managing a 68 to follow on from his two under in the opening round to keep his chances alive.
Masters champions Sergio Garcia, meanwhile, had another adventure at the 17th, where he had a hole-in-one on Thursday.
This time, he hit the wooden sleepers at the front of the island green, with the ball bouncing on to the putting surface instead of into the water. Garcia has had his disagreements with the gods over the years but this time he looked to the heavens, as if to say: ‘Where have you been all my life?’
Garcia is also on level par, with Masters runner-up Justin Rose on one over.
Danny Willett’s problems continued when he withdrew midway through the second round. Willett, who split from long-time caddie Jon Smart last week, tweeted: ‘Not good to have to withdraw but swinging very poorly, putting a lot of unwanted strain on the back... body and mind, need a rest.’ His next scheduled start is at Wentworth.
Scotland’s two representatives, Martin Laird and Russell Knox, both missed the cut after rounds of 73 and 72, respectively, left them well down the leaderboard.
“It might need a bit of rest. I don’t think it’s too serious”