Rory Mcllroy was wearing a smaller wrap around his injured right wrist, but not much else was holding together his game at the PGA Championship.
McIlroy, the US Open champion, shot a 4-over 74 Saturday at Atlanta Athletic Club to fall further off the pace. With the leaders getting under way, the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland was 7 over par, in a tie for 64th.
“I’m disappointed about what happened, disappointed that I haven’t been able to play my best,” McIlroy said.
Much like Friday, when he faded from contention with a 73, McIlroy struggled mightily on the greens. He needed 33 putts in Round 3.
“It just wasn’t meant to be,” he said. “(Sunday) I’m going to give it my best, shoot a good score and give it a few weeks’ rest.”
McIlroy initially injured his wrist and forearm while striking a tree root on the third hole Thursday. “Looking back, it probably wasn’t the right thing to do,” he said. He continued to play, shot 70, and was later diagnosed with a strained tendon in his right wrist.
Remarkably, he could have been within a few shots of the lead heading into the weekend, but triple-bogeyed the 17th hole Friday and never recovered.
His opening-round 70, when he experienced the most discomfort, is his best score of the week. “Maybe I shouldn’t have went and got it strapped up,” he joked.
As for his future plans, McIlroy said he likely would take off until the Omega European Masters in Switzerland, on Sept. 1-4.
"I still want to win a few more times to make this season a success," he said.
For more coverage of all things golf, go to Golfweek.com.
