TIGER WOODS HAS revealed that Rory McIlroy contacted him for advice about the injury that ruled the Northern Irishman out of the Open.
McIlroy will miss the third major of the year at St Andrews next week after rupturing ankle ligaments while playing football with friends last weekend.
And the world number one was quick to call on the 14-time major champion for words of wisdom.
“He sent me a photo the day he did it,” Woods told ESPN. “We talked about it for a little bit. He said: ‘You’ve been through a lot of injuries over the years.’ So he picked my brain a little bit. We had a good talk.
“He’s doing the right thing, taking care of his body first before he gets back out here. No doubt he’s frustrated that he’s not going to be able to play in the Open Championship, especially here at St Andrews.
“And how well he’s been playing of late, and this golf course really does set up well for him, too.
“That’s the way it goes. We all get injured at one point in time. Sometimes it’s through the sport or sometimes it’s through fun activities. You just never know.”
Woods missed the cut at the U.S. Open last month, but is upbeat over his prospects of winning the Open for a fourth time at the scene of his victories in 2000 and 2005 after finishing seven under par at The Greenbrier Classic earlier this month.
“This is my favourite course on earth,” he added. “I love it. And just to return here with all the memories I have, it never gets old. I love coming back. All the memories come rushing back.
“I feel good. Sunday at Greenbrier is probably the best I hit it in two years. That was fun. “I put it together at Greenbrier and hit it really good. [Woods' coach] Chris [Como] told me it was the first time I led the field in proximity to the hole with my iron game.
“I feel like everything’s coming around. I still need to get a feel for how this golf course is chasing. I wasn’t expecting it to be this soft.”
