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Rory McIlroy seriously doubtful for next week’s Open
World No.1 ruptured left ankle ligaments playing football
The 26-year-old is out of the Scottish Open at Gullane

RORY MCILROY

Rory McIlroy is out of this week’s Scottish Open and the defence of his Open Championship title at St Andrews is in serious doubt after he ruptured his left ankle ligaments playing football.

The 26-year-old world No.1, the favourite for both tournaments, took to Instagram to show his left leg from the knee down in a cast, while propping himself up on crutches.

Accompanying the picture, Rory’s commented saying: “Total rupture of left ATFL (ankle ligament) and associated joint capsule damage in a soccer kickabout with friends on Saturday.

“Continuing to assess extent of injury and treatment plan day by day. Rehab started already….. Working hard to get back as soon as I can.”

CONTINUES BELOW…

The timeframe for such an injury is six weeks to three months out, with the first 72 hours said to be crucial in determining it’s severity.

“We’re just hoping to get back as quickly as possible,” Rory McIlroy’s manager David O’Flaherty told to USA TODAY Sports. “But it’s not like taking a car to the garage to get fixed and they say come back in a week and everything will be fine. There are a lot of unknowns. We don’t know when he can put pressure on the ankle, when he can hit balls, when he can play again. There’s just a lot of waiting and hoping right now.”

McIlroy loves St Andrews and has an excellent record there, so to be absent at the Home of Golf next week would be a significant missed opportunity to add to his four major titles. His scoring average for his last ten rounds there is 69.2, which if replicated, would put him in serious contention to lift consecutive Claret Jugs.

Rory McIlroy :: Injury blow

Is Rory McIlroy silly to have been playing football with his mates so soon before the Open, or is it just rotten luck? Leave your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.