Rib injury forces Rory McIlroy to rest up

Rory McIlroy has been forced to withdraw from this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with a rib injury.

He played through the pain in losing a play-off to Graeme Storm at the BMW SA Open on Sunday, having said on Friday morning he had considered pulling out of the event due to the problem.

He underwent a scan yesterday and has been diagnosed with a stress fracture to a rib.

No timetable has been given for his return, but the European Tour announced he would miss this week’s event in Abu Dhabi.

McIlroy said : “It’s bitterly disappointing to have to withdraw from the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. I think everyone knows how much I love playing this tournament, which is one of the best on the European Tour thanks to the incredible support of HSBC and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

“To be forced to miss this week through injury is really quite annoying to be perfectly honest, but I am sure the tournament will be a huge success and I hope everyone involved has a great week.

“In situations like this you simply have to listen to the experts and the team I have consulted have all advised me to rest until my rib has fully recovered.”

Meanwhile, Justin Thomas overcame a slow start for a second straight day before five birdies in seven holes helped him wrap up a wire-to-wire victory in record style at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii on Sunday.

The long-hitting American clinched his fourth PGA Tour title, his second in a row and his third of the young season, by seven strokes after firing a five-under-par 65 at Waialae Country Club for a stunning 27-under total of 253.

Thomas, who had opened with a magical 11-under 59 to take control of the tournament, signed off with a comfortable two-putt birdie at the par-five last to add yet another slice of golf history to his dominant week of multiple records.

His aggregate for 72 holes eclipsed the previous PGA Tour low of 254, set by Tommy Armour III at the 2003 Texas Open.

“That’s awesome,” Thomas, 23, said after becoming the first player since Ernie Els in 2003 to win back-to-back titles in Hawaii during the same season.

“I remember someone saying in a press conference that I needed 10-under on the weekend (for the PGA Tour low) so I told (caddie) Jimmy (Johnson) with two holes left we need to get one of these last two.

England’s Olympic champion Justin Rose birdied three of the last four holes for a 64 to finish second at 20-under, one stroke ahead of double major winner Jordan Spieth, who fired his best round of the week with a 63.