"He's 22 years old. His right wrist is the strongest muscle in his body!"
/That line supposedly came, errr, was delivered over the airwaves by who else by David Feherty on the Golf Channel's pregame coverage of round 2 of the PGA Championship. Thanks to reader Art for catching what I don't need to confirm because, well it's Feherty and you'd hope that's what he said. And if he didn't, well, then Art is funny.
Cameron Morfit reports that Rory's long game appeared unaffected in round two of the PGA, good news for those of us worried he'd done serious damage. Rory also seemed to have learned from the incident.
Ironically, his long game appeared to be unaffected. McIlroy hit drives of 329 yards on the second hole and 334 on the fifth, making him fourth in second-round driving distance among Friday's early wave. After he bettered Schwartzel's drive by a few yards on the 556-yard, par-5 fifth hole, McIlroy gave Schwartzel a hearty slap on the back with his right arm as they went up the fairway.
In a microcosm of his second round, McIlroy hit the green in two but three-putted for a disappointing par after smashing his first putt well past the hole.
"If it wasn't a major," he said, "I probably would have stopped yesterday."
John Huggan reports that Chubby Chandler was not watching as the wrist shot happened and found out in an odd way. He also notes this reply from Rory about his interest in caddie advice.
The last thing this remarkably assured, confident and yes, nice young man had to deal with were more questions on the role of his caddie in what will surely become known as "Rootgate." Already under fire this year for perhaps costly mistakes made during the final round of the Masters earlier this year, J.P. Fitzgerald, according to some sources, should have been telling his man to chip out sideways. And if that failed, wrestling his young charge to the ground before the specter of career-ending injury raised its head.
McIlroy was having none of that, however.
"He's my caddie, not my father," he said with a shrug.
Gene Wojciechowski paints a picture of the scene when Rory arrived at the course early Friday.
McIlroy, his father Gerry, manager Chubby Chandler and a family friend walked into the AAC clubhouse at 6:59 Friday morning. McIlroy wore a soft cast and a serious face.
"It's a little sore," McIlroy said, when someone asked about the condition of the wrist. Then he disappeared around a corner and into Locker Room D.
Gerry emerged a few minutes later, just in time to see a Golf Channel talk show on the wall plasma. The co-anchors were debating McIlroy's shot on Thursday and Fitzgerald's role in the round.
Gerry said nothing, but he clearly wasn't pleased with the discussion. About 10 minutes later, he, Rory and the friend went upstairs for breakfast. Chandler sat in the locker room lobby.