Sick bay at Pinehurst: Rory McIlroy says his knee is fine, Sergio Garcia’s not so much

Tiger Woods may be the highest-profile golfer on the DL for this week’s U.S. Open, but everyone at this stage of the season is dinged up to some extent. Ahead of Thursday’s kick-off to the second consecutive men’s major championship with no Tiger in the lineup, Woods’ good buddy Rory McIlroy has brushed off worries about a knee he tweaked recently while Eldrick’s nemesis Sergio Garcia’s wobbly wheel has limited his practice at Pinehurst.

“No, my knee is absolutely fine,” McIlroy, who hurt his knee and back during the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago, told the Irish Independent, according to Fatiha Betscher.

Not so A-OK was Sergio Garcia’s left knee, according to Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis.

(Video via Golf Channel)

Lewis reported that the eight-time PGA Tour winner had an adema, or swelling, on top of his kneecap and some cartilage damage on the left side that have been causing discomfort for about a month and kept his Tuesday practice round to only nine holes.

Garcia, who had to withdraw from the BMW PGA Championship (which McIlroy won), has brought the treatment machine he had been using at home in Spain to Pinehurst.

“He is not 100 percent,” Lewis said.

Jason Day, by the way, who missed time earlier in the season with his own sore body part, reported on Tuesday that his thumb was up and ready to take on Pinehurst No. 2.

No word on how Rory’s back was feeling, but it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on the lads as the week goes on.