Why oh why would the world’s number one golfer Rory McIlroy play a social game of soccer, and totally rupture his left ankle ATFL ligament? It’s an injury that can take weeks, even months, to heal.
McIlroy is on crutches, has his foot in a moon boot, and is a non-starter in this week’s Scottish Open at the 350-year-old Gullane Golf Club, in the picturesque village of East Lothian.
Next week is the British Open at the home of golf, St Andrews, with McIlroy a very doubtful starter, which would deny golf fans the special duel with world number two Jordan Spieth.
Spieth has won the first two majors of the year, the Masters and US Open, with McIlroy the defending champion at the last two majors – the British Open and the USPGA.
Can McIlroy play in a moon boot? I wouldn’t put it past him, he’s a fighter. But Spieth is gunning for him, no doubt about that, and the 21-year-old keeps ticking boxes.
I recently saw a television interview with Spieth as a 17-year-old where he had three aims:
To be the world number one amateur – tick.
Win the Masters – tick.
Be the world number one – he has one foot in the door.
A month ago, McIlroy was number one by close to four points. Today Spieth has narrowed that gap to less than two – McIlroy is on 12.70, Spieth 10.85, Bubba Watson 7.34, and Dustin Johnson 6.76.
So McIlroy and Spieth have cleared out from an elite field, with Spieth well on target to become the fifth golfer in history to win four majors by the time he’s 25 – after Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and McIlroy.
With McIlroy a non-starter, who’s playing this week in the Scottish Open? Justin Rose, ranked seven, and Rickie Fowler (ninth) are the only world top 10 in the field.
Other notables are Phil Mickelson, Jimmy Walker, Matt Kuchar, Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, Victor Dubuisson, and the reborn-at-52 Colin Montgomerie, who won the US Seniors PGA this year, and finished second at the US Seniors Open.
Seven Australians will tee off – John Senden, Marcus Fraser, Richard Green, Scott Hend, Wade Ormsby, Andrew Dodt, and James Scrivener.
But no Jason Day, or Adam Scott.
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