Rory McIlroy pulls out of British Open

The No. 1-ranked golfer made the announcement via social media on Wednesday.

The golf star had given himself a 10 percent chance of playing at St. Andrews when he revealed on Monday that he had ruptured ligaments in his left ankle during a kickabout last weekend.

This is the first time in 61 years that the defending champion of the Open Championship has not played in the tournament the next year to defend his title. It remained unclear whether McIlroy would recover in time to defend his titles at the Bridgestone Invitational and PGA Championship in coming weeks.

“Thank you for all your best wishes”.

“It’s a tough question, middle of the season, before a major championship… hindsight is a wonderful thing”, he added.

McIlroy announced yesterday in a photo on Instagram of him wearing a protective boot that he had suffered a “total rupture” of his left ankle.

McIlroy’s Open absence will be a blow to television firms, sponsors and golfing spectators who have been excited by a burgeoning rivalry with Jordan Spieth.

McIlroy, the four-time major champion, has had a mixed so far as he finished fourth at the Masters in April, and joint ninth at last month’s US Open. “Rehab already started…Working hard to get back as soon as I can”.

“I’ll be relying a lot on my caddie”, said the No. 7-ranked Rose.

Phil Mickelson, who like Rose was speaking ahead of this week’s Scottish Open, also leapt to the defence of McIlroy, drawing on his own experiences. Albeit his career has encountered fluctuating fortunes before, it has never been on account of injury.

“My wife sent me a text out on the golf course saying that Rory had withdrawn but I was waiting for official confirmation from the R&A (The Royal and Ancient Golf Club) but then my manager received an email from the R&A to say 100 percent I am into The Open”, Knox said. Ben Hogan won the Open in 1953 and did not play the following year. I didn’t feel like anything [McIlroy] was doing was unnecessary risk.

“If I’d known I’d get injured at home might as well have gone skiing”, he tweeted.

With The Open raising its prize funds to the highest it has ever been, McIlroy could be missing out on the £1.15 million on offer for the victor, £653,000 available for second place and £420,000 for third. “People think because you’re good at something, you should just do that and focus on that, but that’s not what life is about”. “The Open Championship is very mentally challenging, and so playing the week before, although I’m trying to prepare and get ready, I don’t want to get beat up every single hole”.