The spring is back in Rory McIlroy’s step

Rory McIlroy could have taken a longer, safer route to the 18th green at Whistling Straits. Instead he bounded down a steep hill like a mountain goat who’d just spotted a particularly juicy clump of grass.

Ruptured ankle ligaments? Clearly not any more. The July 4 football injury that forced the world No 1 to miss the Scottish Open and his defence of The Open and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last week is truly history.

In fact, McIlroy surprised waiting reporters by revealing he started hitting golf balls again just a fortnight after the kick-about that caused the problem — on July 20, the day Zach Johnson claimed the Claret Jug.