Rory McIlroy’s limp raises concerns for the 2026 PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy’s Preparations for Aronimink

Rory McIlroy shared insights into his recent performance at Quail Hollow during the final round of the Tourist Championship. He revealed he was limping due to a blister on his right little toe, which is under the nail and causing him some discomfort. “It hurts a bit because I can’t reach it easily, but it’s okay,” he explained to the media.

After a challenging round of 75 on Saturday, McIlroy managed to finish with a 67, despite recording six bogeys along the way. Ultimately, he ended tied for 19th place in the event.

When asked if the blister affected his play on Saturday, McIlroy laughed it off. “It felt like Friday afternoon. I wish that was an excuse, but it’s definitely not,” he said.

Looking ahead to the PGA Championship starting Thursday in suburban Philadelphia, he reassured everyone, “I’ll be fine.” Following his Masters victory, McIlroy faced some criticism regarding his decision to take a day trip to Augusta from Florida in a private jet, as people felt he had an unfair advantage by discussing his preparation strategies for the course.

He humorously addressed how he prepared for the upcoming Grand Slam tournament. “I just lived there for a week and played every day. I think that’s forgivable. No, I went and came back the same day,” he joked. Reflecting on his previous experience at BMW in 2018, he noted how differently the course played back then due to weather conditions. “The greens weren’t as fast or tough as I expected this time around. It’s not a long golf course, but the greens can be quite challenging if positioned strategically,” he added.

As for practice rounds, McIlroy mentioned, “It’s nice to think about it early. It just means there’s no pressure to play as many holes during tournament week. Historically, PGA practice rounds can be excruciatingly long, so it’ll probably be nine holes on Tuesday and nine holes on Wednesday.”