Rory McIlroy is back in business – and he’s got a couple of heavyweight opponents to compete with in his first round at the U.S. PGA Championship.
The World No.1, who has been out of action with an ankle injury, is set to return to action alongside Open winner Zach Johnson and two-time major champion Jordan Spieth at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin.
McIlroy missed the Scottish Open, the Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after rupturing ligaments in his left ankle while playing soccer with friends last month.
He told reporters he was “definitely” ready for the challenge after emerging unscathed following practice rounds in Portugal last week.
“To play golf, it’s 100 percent,” McIlroy told reporters.
“To go back on a soccer pitch, it wouldn’t be quite ready. But to do what I need to do this week, it’s 100 percent.”
McIlroy shared a video on his Instagram of him practicing over the weekend which increased suspicions that he would take part this week.
Asked if he has complete trust in that left ankle, he told reporters: “Yeah. It actually feels better when I go at it as hard as I want because my left foot sort of spins out of the way whenever I hit the driver anyway.”
McIlroy is scheduled to tee off at 19.20pm local time on Thursday alongside Johnson and Spieth.
McIlroy will be hoping to pull off a repeat of last year’s U.S. PGA Championship victory at Valhalla where he claimed the fourth major of his career.
On that occasion he overcame Phil Mickelson to win by a single shot – a success which came just a month after he won the Open at Royal Liverpool.