Tiger Woods unimpressed by Rory McIlroy’s rapid recovery

Tiger Woods has been there and done that when it comes to playing injured, so while the golf world worries about whether Rory McIlroy’s ankle can withstand the strain of walking the Whistling Straits terrain, the former world No. 1 was not all that impressed by the speed of the currently top-ranked golfer’s recovery.

“No, not really,” Woods told reporters on Tuesday about his lack of surprise at seeing his Nike stablemate giving it a go after rupturing ligaments in his left ankle on July 4. “He has good physios, he’s worked hard. It’s a matter of how long is he going to have to go with it like this or is he going to have to get it surgically repaired.”

Sure, McIlroy will likely experience discomfort and his ankle may resemble a balloon after he treks around the links-style track, but that’s why the defending champ now travels with a team of medical personnel as part of his entourage.

“I blew out my knee and played for a good nine months before I had it fixed,” Woods said. “So it can be done. Is he probably going to be in pain? Probably, yeah. Swelling is going to probably occur, but that’s why the physios are there, and I’m sure they’ll get him organized.”

It’s the actual walking of the golf course that could challenge McIlroy, opined Woods, who has rebounded from several surgical procedures throughout his illustrious career.

“This is going to be a tough golf course if you miss the golf ball a little bit,” Woods said, referring to the heavy rough from which players will have to hit when they fail to find the fairway. “Even the walks from tee box to fairway, they’re not straight ... It’s just a matter of how can he hold up.”

Woods, after missed cuts in two straight majors on top of a terrible season overall, has more to worry about than the health of the top golfers in the field -- especially that of the four-time major titleholder who’s one of the favorites to walk away with the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday:

“As far as his talent and his ability to play golf, that’s not going to be a problem. He understands how to play,” Woods said. “It’s a matter of physically can he do it?”

McIlroy raced all over the course during Tuesday’s practice round and then repaired to the driving range:

Thursday will mark the first start for McIlroy since he ripped up his ankle in a friendly soccer game some five weeks ago. He finished T9 at the U.S. Open in his last appearance before the accident and had to withdraw from title defenses at both the British Open and last week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

SB Nation video archives: Urban golfing with a U.S. Open champ (2012)