RORY McIlroy is doubtful for the BMW PGA Championship after suffering from ongoing back problems at the Players Championship.
The Holywood man revealed he would have an MRI scan on Monday to determine the extent of the problem, with the world number two admitting the “most important thing” is to be fit for June’s US Open.
The BMW PGA Championship takes place in a fortnight’s time and has a prize fund of £5.4million as the first event of the European Tour’s Rolex Series.
McIlroy’s injury is a combination of the back and rib problem which kept him out for seven weeks at the start of the season, although he was able to add a 71 to his opening 73 to reach halfway at level par, nine behind leaders Louis Oosthuizen and Kyle Stanley.
“I hit a couple of tee shots practising on Monday and just didn’t feel right and I’ve been getting treatment on it,” McIlroy (left) told Sky Sports. “We just hope it’s not the same thing, the joint and the rib.
“It feels more like a muscle strain so I’m going to get an MRI scan on Monday after the tournament and I might have to rest for a week or two. As long as I get myself right for the US Open, that’s the most important thing.”
Oosthuizen and Stanley both shot rounds of 66, the best of the week so far to move to nine-under, one shot ahead of JB Holmes.
Graeme McDowell was one-under par for his second round after 14 holes, two-under for the tournament and seven off the lead, while Shane Lowry endured another bad day, adding a 76 to his opening 74 to miss the cut on six-over
Masters champion Sergio Garcia and world number one Dustin Johnson were alongside McIlroy on level par after rounds of 71 and 73 respectively.
