Rory McIlroy gives his driver away to some guy on Facebook

Rory McIlroy, stricken with food poisoning in China, can’t seem to catch a break in what’s turning out to be a truly disappointing season, though he most certainly gained more fans with a recent generous gesture to one of his many Facebook readers.

Before taking ill, McIlroy, an avid social media junkie, shocked a follower by responding to a request for one of his drivers. Barry Edwards’ plaint that “I still need a new driver” did not go unnoticed, as the four-time major winner said he would ship the Nike Covert stick to him.

“Served me well,” noted McIlroy, who could not promise the same results to its new owner.

What did not serve McIlroy well was a club sandwich, the suspected culprit in his recent illness.

McIlroy, who sustained an ankle injury in July that derailed the second half of 2015, was bed-ridden with a bellyache a day ahead of the WGC-HSBC Champions event after ingesting something that didn’t agree with him.

“I’m not feeling great to be honest. I had something [to eat] a couple of nights ago and yesterday wasn’t good at all,” McIlroy told the European Tour website Wednesday from the practice area after deciding to skip that day’s pro-am. “I thought I would have been better this morning ... but even just making a couple of swings my stomach was too sore. So, I just need another day of rest and hopefully I will be better tomorrow and I can play.”

On painkillers and antibiotics to fight the stomach pain, the world No. 3 remains the top seed in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai. Should he be able to make his Thursday tee time with Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson, it will likely be with no pre-tourney prep work.

After playing well in Turkey last week, McIlroy, with three worldwide wins prior to his soccer-related ankle injury, faded down the stretch. He hoped to get back in contention at the HSBC, but first things first.

“Most importantly I need to get healthy first,” he said, “and if I can do that then concentrate on the golf.”