Rory McIlroy’s second major Tuesday practice round of the year was cut short due to a nagging blister that has plagued him for several days.
According to reports on the site of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., McIlroy’s session on Tuesday was delayed by just three holes due to discomfort from a blister on the pinky toe of his right foot.
Reporters following McIlroy on Tuesday said he took off his shoe on the third fairway but finished the hole. He took it off again on the 4th tee before jumping into the cart and riding to the clubhouse.
After the final round of the Truist Championship on Sunday, a reporter asked McIlroy if he was limping.
“Yes, I have a blister on my right foot, but it’s under the nails,” said Sonto. “So I won’t be able to reach it even if it hurts a little, but I’ll be fine.”
McIlroy said he started to feel it on Friday afternoon but he made a joke and couldn’t use it as an excuse for not playing well. He added on Sunday that he didn’t care about it long term: “No, it’s fine. I’ll be fine.”
Earlier on Tuesday, when speaking to the media, McIlroy said he liked the “style of golf” offered by Aronimink.
“There are a lot of bunkers. I think they provide a lot of variety with short par-4s, a few long par-4s. The par-3s, there are three very long and a short one,” he said. “I think at this point in time I’m not sure it’s going to check every aspect of your bag. There’s no strategy to get out there at all. Bash driver down there and get it from there, which I think most of these new, newly renovated – I’m thinking about Oak Hill in 2023, actually – if it removes a lot of golf trees it says.
“But the greens are the focus this week, and I think you’ve got yourself in the right sections of the greens, you’re making sure you’re leaving them under the hole for the most part; that’s what’s important this week,” he continued. “Also, I’ve only played four rounds of competition here. I don’t really know what place to give you a good answer about what I like about it, but Philadelphia is a great golf town, a lot of great golf courses, and this is one of them.”
McIlroy was paired with Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm in the first two rounds. They will play at 8:40 am ET on Thursday.
