Rory McIlroy Out Injured With Rib Injury

The world number two will miss this week's Abu Dhabi Golf Championship

Rory McIlroy Out Injured With Rib Injury
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy has pulled out of this week's Abu Dhabi Golf Championship after test results revealed he had a stress fracture on his rib

Rory McIlroy Out Injured With Rib Injury

Rory McIlroy has pulled out of this week's Abu Dhabi Golf Championship with a rib injury.

The world number two complained about back trouble at the South African Open where he took anti-inflammatory tablets and played his back taped up.

Related: Storm beats McIlroy to win South African Open

McIlroy lost on the third extra hole in a playoff to Graeme Storm at Glendower Golf Club in Johannesburg after the pair each finished on 18-under-par.

He said that he would have an MRI scan after the tournament and the results have revealed a stress fracture on his rib.

He said, "It's bitterly disappointing. I think everyone knows how much I love playing this tournament.

"To be forced to miss this week through injury is really quite annoying to be perfectly honest, but I am sure the tournament will be a huge success and I hope everyone involved has a great week.

Related: Rory McIlroy What's in the Bag?

"In situations like this you simply have to listen to the experts, and the team I have consulted have all advised me to rest until my rib has fully recovered."

The four-time major winner pulls out less than three months before the Masters, the only major tournament that he hasn't won.

No timescale has been indicated or how serious the stress fracture is, so it leaves the golfing world guessing on when we will see the four-time major winner again.

Related: Rory McIlroy practice tips

He will undergo rehabilitation now and has said he will return when he is fully recovered.

The European Tour are in Abu Dhabi this week where Rickie Fowler defends the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the start of the annual 'Desert Swing'.

From Abu Dhabi they head to Qatar for the Qatar Masters which Branden Grace has won for the last two years before for the Dubai Desert Classic, a tournament which Tiger Woods will play.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV