McIlroy pulls out of British Open

McIlroy made his most recent announcement via his Instagram account, the same venue he used to announce his injury.

“You want the defending champion, much less the best player in the world at the event”, he said.

“Of all the Championship venues we play at, that’s the one where you can nearly just turn up and play”. Spieth’s odds of winning the Grand Slam also lowered on Sportsbook to 20-to-1 (he’s 2-to-1 to win one of the next two).

Florida-based Scot Russell Knox, who was first reserve, replaces McIlroy in the field at St Andrews.

McIlroy’s budding rivalry with 21-year-old American Jordan Spieth – the two of them own all four major titles between them – had been billed as the focal point of this year’s Open and his absence will be sorely felt. If he is forced to change his swing in order to accommodate the lingering consequences of this injury, those long arcing shots that are his trademark could be a thing of the past, even after the original injury is healed.

Kuchar has not played competitively since finishing joint 12th in the US Open, a decision the 36-year-old found hard to take after being pleased with his performance at Chambers Bay.

Though it wasn’t a big surprise that he withdrew – not after the photo Monday of McIlroy on crutches – it was no less jarring that golf’s best player would not be at the home of golf to defend his title.

Kuchar believes competing at Gullane is ideal preparation for next week’s Open, adding: ” You’re here, you acclimatise to the time, the weather, the golf.

“It’s not ideal for him because he’s wearing that boot, and he’s going to have everyone in the media on his back now”, Irish pro Shane Lowry told the Irish Times.

Murray went on to win his quarterfinal match. “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. Everybody does”, Spieth said Tuesday during his pre-tournament news conference at the John Deere Classic.

McIlroy, who became the first reigning Open champion since Ben Hogan in 1954 not to defend his title, did not offer a timetable for his return. “It just was an unfortunate situation and hopefully he rebounds quickly and gets back right to where he was”. “I still like to live and have a little bit of fun”. “It’s still a major championship and there is a lot of unbelievable talent. I wouldn’t change anything I’m doing based on anything that’s happened”.