NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Rory McIlroy cut down what was planned to be a nine-hole practice round Tuesday to just three-plus holes because of a blister on the pinky toe of his right foot.
After three holes, he walked back to the clubhouse.
McIlroy revealed last week that he was dealing with a blister under his toenail at the Truist Championship, where he finished tied for 19th.
He told Golf Channel he soaked his foot Monday night and ripped the nail completely off to better treat the blister. Tuesday, he removed his right shoe several times before calling it quits.
Rory McIlroy adjusts his golf shoe on the second hole during a practice round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images McIlroy, as he did last month before winning his second consecutive Masters, made a recent trip to scout Aronimink. So if his practice time is curtailed Wednesday, he’ll at least have that prep.
“I probably spent five hours on the golf course, headed back to the airport and flew home,’’ McIlroy said Tuesday of his recent scouting trip. “I wanted to just get an early look, because I knew that was going to be my only opportunity to do so.’’
McIlroy has been on quite a bender of late, winning the Masters, attending a White House dinner and appearing in a small role in “Devil Wears Prada 2.’’
“I know how fortunate I am and so lucky to be in this position in life, and sometimes you have to enjoy the perks, because I know that this isn’t going to last forever,’’ he said. “There’s going to be a day where I’m not sitting up here and I’m not competing for major championships and I’m not doing what I’m doing. So I guess while I’m doing it, I have to enjoy it, as well.’’
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looks at his foot on the fourth tee during a practice round prior to the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 12, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Getty Images Justin Rose may have some good geographical mojo this week, with his 2013 U.S. Open win coming just down the road from Aronimink at Merion.
“Obviously, Merion will be a place close to my heart forever,’’ Rose said Tuesday. “I try to come back to this area and come back to Merion once every year. I normally come back in the fall. I think it’s some of the best in the world.’’
Among the marquee groups for Thursday’s first round are Scottie Scheffler, Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose at 2:05 p.m.; Cameron Young, Keegan Bradley and Justin Thomas at 1:54 p.m.; McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm at 8:40 a.m.; Bryson DeChambeau, Ludvig Åberg and Rickie Fowler at 8:18 a.m.; and Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka and Tyrrell Hatton at 8:29 a.m. … Old Westbury club pro Chris Gabriele tees off at 7:01 a.m. … The first group off, at 6:45 a.m., is Ben Griffin, Alex Fitzpatrick and Pennsylvania club pro Braden Shattuck.
For the 17th time in the last 18 years, at least 95 of the top 100 golfers in the world will play in the PGA Championship. … There will be 30 players in the field who played in the 2018 BMW Championship at Aronimink, including each player who finished among the top five in the 2018 PGA Tour event. … At that 2018 BMW Championship, the course played to a length of 7,267 yards. This week the course will play to 7,394 yards with several holes having been lengthened (Nos. 7, 15 and 18).
