JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Rory McIlroy looked at his ball, resting against a tree root, and decided to take a whack at it.
Bad move.
The U.S. Open champion injured his right wrist with the ill-advised swing Thursday in the opening round of the PGA Championship.
McIlroy played on after his mishap at the third hole, but in obvious pain. He had the wrist checked by a physical therapist and felt it wouldn’t get any worse. He also had the wrist taped up, looking more like a football player than a golfer.
“It was just like a sharp pain up the forearm, and then there’s a little bit of swelling, just on the inside of my wrist,” said the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland. “And then it was going up into my elbow and my shoulder.”
It hurt every time he struck the ball, but he gutted out 15 more holes for an even-par 70 that left him seven strokes behind leader Steve Stricker.
McIlroy hustled off to get an MRI, which showed he had a strained tendon in his wrist, according to a statement put out by his handlers at International Sports Management.
“He will obviously rest it tonight,” the statement said, “and see how it feels in the morning on the range.”
McIlroy intends to play on unless he absolutely can’t.
“It’s a very important tournament, and I’m still even par,” he said. “I’m still in the hunt.”
Considering the circumstances, McIlroy couldn’t have asked for much more — other than having back a couple of short missed putts that kept him from breaking into the red.
