ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – During a golf writers’ dinner on Tuesday night Darren Clarke suggested that the ankle injury that led to Rory McIlroy to withdrawing from this week’s Open Championship may take longer to heal than some expected.
“When Rory comes back next year ... I didn’t say,” Clarke said.
On Wednesday Clarke clarified his comments, telling reporters that he was just joking and a member of McIlroy’s management team, Sean O'Flaherty, confirmed to GolfChannel.com that no timetable has been set for the world No. 1’s return.
McIlroy, 26, ruptured his anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) on July 4 playing soccer with friends and was also forced to withdraw from last week’s Scottish Open.