McIlroy MRI shows low-grade response to rib injury

Rory McIlroy has suffered a “low-grade response” to the rib injury he picked up earlier this year, but has not developed any new injuries at The Players Championship.

McIlroy told reporters during the unofficial fifth major hat he was going to have an MRI on Monday to determine the cause of the back pain he suffered during the tournament, but stressed he did not feel it was a serious injury. 

The World No.2 did complete all four rounds of the event, finishing T35 at two-over-par – 12 shots behind winner Si Woo Kim. 

The BBC have since reported that McIlroy said the MRI scan had revealed “no new injury, rather a low grade response to the rib joint I injured earlier in the year”.

The 28 year old was initally sidelined with a stress fracture to his ribs in January, having been diagnosed after losing the BMW South African Open to Graham Storm in a play-off. The injury, which revealed he had fractured three ribs on the left side of his torso, caused him to miss numerous events in both the Middle East and US. 

Since the first injury he has played six events – which includes a T4 and two T7 finishes (once of which came at the Masters in April).

His next planned start is the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on the European Tour next week, which takes place from 25- 28 May. 

“As of now I am still entered into the BMW PGA Championship,” said McIlroy, continuing that he would make a decision early next week as to whether he was “in a position to compete”

The 2017 Players Champion Si Woo Kim has also been suffering with back problems, and it was announced just a day after his victory that he has withdrawn from his fifth tournament this year due to back injury.