Rory McIlroy will not play in next week's BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour's flagship event, as he deals with a rib injury.
McIlroy said last week at The Players that he reinjured himself in preparation for the week at TPC Sawgrass, his first PGA Tour event since the Masters and getting married. The Ulsterman said he had been sleeping on his side, drawing worry from his new wife, Erica Stoll.
"I'm conscious and trying to sleep on my right side and that's sort of facing away from Erica and she's like, 'Why? Are you not happy with me? What's going on?' I'm like, 'No, no, it's fine I'm just taking care of my back,'" he said Saturday at The Players.
After finishing T-35 in the event, McIlroy flew to Belfast to have a MRI which revealed he hadn't further exacerbated an injury first experienced at the BWM South African Open in January. The injury forced McIlroy out of action for nearly two months, with the four-time major winner returning to the PGA Tour at the WGC-Mexico Championship in March.
In a statement released through the European Tour, McIlroy said, "Having had a reaction to my earlier rib injury, I have been advised to take a conservative approach to my recovery which unfortunately means I have to withdraw from the BMW PGA Championship next week. It’s a disappointing decision to have to make, but I have to ensure I make a full recovery. I will now continue the process of preparing my game for the U.S. Open and the rest of the season."
McIlroy won the BMW PGA Championship, played at Wentworth Club in England, in 2014.
