Rory McIlroy attends to a blister on his right foot (Image: David Cannon, Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy has insisted he is completely fine after withdrawing from Tuesday’s practice round due to a blister on his toe.
The career grand slam champion is chasing yet another PGA Championship title at Aronimink alongside many of the world’s elite players. However, he was spotted limping at Quail Hollow just days prior due to a toe blister, a problem that persisted at Aronimink.
McIlroy repeatedly removed his shoe and inspected his right foot during the first three practice holes before ultimately cutting his round short and calling it a day.
“It’s fine,” said McIlroy.
“I felt very soft having to walk in because of a little toe but I figured it out by separating the little toe from the other ones and having a bit of cushion around it definitely helps. I have also gone to a bigger shoe (by half a size) and a different style, which is a little softer and wider in the toe box.”
McIlroy gave an update on his blister (Image: Getty Images)
“Yesterday was painful but today I was pleasantly surprised by how good it felt.
“It is not a shot type (that causes the pain). It is just walking downhill when your foot slides into the end of your shoe. That is when it gives me a bit of bother but it is totally fine.”
McIlroy is scheduled to tee off alongside Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth in the opening round of the PGA Championship, fresh off a final round 67 at Quail Hollow. “Yeah, I’ve got a blister on my pinky toe on my right foot, but it’s underneath my nail,” McIlroy said after last week’s tournament. “I can’t really get to it, so it’s a little sore. But I’ll be all right.”
When asked whether the injury would affect his performance, he responded: “‘No, not at all. I wish that was an excuse but absolutely not.”
McIlroy is chasing his seventh major title among the world’s elite, as Aronimink is set to feature challenging par threes while Spieth pursues the career grand slam.
“I like the style of golf. I like the bunkering,” said McIlroy, referring to Aronimink.
“There’s a lot of bunkers. I think it provides quite a nice bit of variety with shorter par-4s, a couple of longer par-4s. The par-3s, there’s three pretty long ones and a shorter one.
“I think in this day and age I’m not sure if it’s going to test all aspects of your bag. There’s going to be a lot of — again, as I said, strategy off the tee is pretty nonexistent.”
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