Rory McIlroy Ruptures Tendon, Out of British Open + Longer?

[Gunther]

Haney said he's flying to Whistling Straits to get some practice rounds in.  Haney also said that the course is really tough to walk and wonders if Rory's ankle will hold up not to the golf but all the walking.

Wait, whut? Are you breaking a news story here? How does Haney know what Rory is doing?

[pumaAttack]

Wait, whut? Are you breaking a news story here? How does Haney know what Rory is doing?

Hank said that on his morning talk show on PGA radio on siriusXM

[ccotenj]

looks like he is playing....

[nevets88]

Can't post tweet but here's a capture.

[ChrisP]

i'm SURE he wants to play... and i know i want to see him play...

and i'm POSITIVE he's going stir crazy being trapped indoors for weeks... i'm the world's laziest person, and even i go crazy when laid up like that...

i'm just not sure it is such a good idea... i won't pretend to know his body, but unless he is 100%, it's a risk (imo) he should not take... besides the (mentioned earlier) potential swing issues, it opens up the possibility of injuring something else if compensating for the ankle...

The thing is, and I'm sure he's thinking this, this is the last tournament he really needs to play for the next 6 months. I'm sure the Fed Ex Cup tourneys are important to him, but they're not majors. I'm sure he's gotten plenty of input from the doctors and I don't think he'd give it a go if they said "No."

He seems to be swinging it fine from the videos. Young players who are in great shape heal fast. I'll never forget Steven Stamkos last year had to have a plate put in his leg and was supposed to be out 5-6 months and he came back in 3. When you're in great shape and you're young and you've got the physios that these guys can afford, you can heal much faster than you think. That's why when I heard the "rumor" that it was a 6-8 week injury, I thought there was a good chance he'd try and play the PGA.

[ccotenj]

[QUOTE name="ccotenj" url="/t/83044/rory-mcilroy-ruptures-tendon-out-of-british-open-longer/126#post_1181231"] i'm SURE he wants to play... and i know i want to see him play... and i'm POSITIVE he's going stir crazy being trapped indoors for weeks... :-D i'm the world's laziest person, and even i go crazy when laid up like that... i'm just not sure it is such a good idea... i won't pretend to know his body, but unless he is 100%, it's a risk (imo) he should not take... besides the (mentioned earlier) potential swing issues, it opens up the possibility of injuring something else if compensating for the ankle...[/QUOTE] The thing is, and I'm sure he's thinking this, this is the last tournament he really needs to play for the next 6 months. I'm sure the Fed Ex Cup tourneys are important to him, but they're not majors. I'm sure he's gotten plenty of input from the doctors and I don't think he'd give it a go if they said "No." He seems to be swinging it fine from the videos. Young players who are in great shape heal fast. I'll never forget Steven Stamkos last year had to have a plate put in his leg and was supposed to be out 5-6 months and he came back in 3. When you're in great shape and you're young and you've got the physios that these guys can afford, you can heal much faster than you think. That's why when I heard the "rumor" that it was a 6-8 week injury, I thought there was a good chance he'd try and play the PGA.

fair enough... :-) i'm glad he's playing... :banana:

[pumaAttack]

[RGoosen]

^ My excitement for the PGA just doubled too. I want to watch him play no matter how he performs.

[RJH999]

^ My excitement for the PGA just doubled too. I want to watch him play no matter how he performs.

Well I wish Retief Goosen would have qualified...:whistle:

[RGoosen]

^ Me too. :) I have 6-7 golfers that I really like to watch...Retief and Rory would be at the top of the list. I picked up golf in 2003 when Retief was a regular winner on tour.

[Gunther]

Golf Channel just showed some shots, I think live, of Rory's practice round at Whistling Straits. He looks good, no limp, even ran up a hill. Looks like the ankle is fine. Now he's gotta shake off the rust, quick.

[Spiethismyhero]

Golf Channel just showed some shots, I think live, of Rory's practice round at Whistling Straits. He looks good, no limp, even ran up a hill. Looks like the ankle is fine. Now he's gotta shake off the rust, quick.

Good for Rory, however, when insiders at Whistling Straits reported that Rory had a practice tee time for today it was vigorously denied by his people. So they were lying? I'd call that NOT COOL. It's clear from what we've seen today that Rory or his people informed Whistling Straits/PGA that he'd do this practice round and that he'd probably play (which is why they gave him a tee time for next week). So why did he/his people feel it necessary to lie to the public, the fans, and the media?

I don't get this kind of behavior.

[jbishop15]

Good for Rory, however, when insiders at Whistling Straits reported that Rory had a practice tee time for today it was vigorously denied by his people. So they were lying? I'd call that NOT COOL. It's clear from what we've seen today that Rory or his people informed Whistling Straits/PGA that he'd do this practice round and that he'd probably play (which is why they gave him a tee time for next week). So why did he/his people feel it necessary to lie to the public, the fans, and the media? I don't get this kind of behavior.

Privacy, and the ability to change his mind. If he plays a practice round in secret, he's more free to change his mind. The privacy thing is the biggest for me, though. If he wants to play in secret, he should be allowed to play in secret.

[ChrisP]

Good for Rory, however, when insiders at Whistling Straits reported that Rory had a practice tee time for today it was vigorously denied by his people. So they were lying? I'd call that NOT COOL. It's clear from what we've seen today that Rory or his people informed Whistling Straits/PGA that he'd do this practice round and that he'd probably play (which is why they gave him a tee time for next week). So why did he/his people feel it necessary to lie to the public, the fans, and the media? I don't get this kind of behavior.

From what I heard, the practice round was very tentative. He wasn't entirely sure early in the week he was going to play, but as the week went on and he continued to progress, it became more likely and he didn't confirm it until a day or two ago. But I'm sure he didn't want to make it public anyways, because if he did, the place would be swarming with reporters and cameras. Remember, it wasn't him who leaked the tee time, it was a person who worked there.

[Spiethismyhero]

From what I heard, the practice round was very tentative. He wasn't entirely sure early in the week he was going to play, but as the week went on and he continued to progress, it became more likely and he didn't confirm it until a day or two ago. But I'm sure he didn't want to make it public anyways, because if he did, the place would be swarming with reporters and cameras. Remember, it wasn't him who leaked the tee time, it was a person who worked there.

I get that completely. But don't lie about it. There are ways of handling this kind of PR without blatantly lying. That was very poor PR.

[Spiethismyhero]

Privacy, and the ability to change his mind. If he plays a practice round in secret, he's more free to change his mind.

The privacy thing is the biggest for me, though. If he wants to play in secret, he should be allowed to play in secret.

I'll have to respectfully disagree with you on that one. There is no privacy for a public professional athlete when he's doing something that involves his profession. None.

Sure, if he wants to play in secret then he needs to find a place that is secret. Whistling Straits the weekend before the PGA is not secret.

But the bottom line, for me, is that his people shouldn't have lied about it. This is a poor way to handle PR for the world's number one player.

Then Rory teased all week with tweets and pics. If he wanted it private and secret, he shouldn't have done. That's the problem with PR and publicity. You can't have it both ways. If you're going to use it to benefit yourself you have to expect that it leaves you completely open elsewhere.

[RGoosen]

^ I understand what you are saying, but the media is not very trustworthy. They like to be the first to break a story no matter what the odds of it being factually or embellished. Bottom line is Rory is one of my favorite players and I will give him the benefit of the doubt. If it was Rory Sabatini or Patrick Reed I would probably think the worse. Human nature I guess.

[ChrisP]

I get that completely. But don't lie about it. There are ways of handling this kind of PR without blatantly lying. That was very poor PR.

Is it really lying though when Rory says he may play there on Saturday if rehab goes well and then the pro shop says he's definitely playing there and they just deny that he's definitely playing there? When the story initially leaked, there was probably a good chance McIlroy was not sure he was playing..he was just more hopeful. He needed to go through a lot of rehab this week first to see where he stands. After the rehab went well, then he decided to make the trip. My guess is they called the pro shop early in the week and said "IF rehab goes well, Rory will be coming in to play a practice round on Saturday."