The Loop
Rory McIlroy withdraws from WGC-HSBC Champions pro-am after eating bad sandwich, tournament status unknown
A bad club sandwich might force Rory McIlroy out of the WGC-HSBC Champions on Thursday in Shanghai, China. Rory asked out of the Wednesday pro-am after feeling stomach aches as he was warming up on the range.
If the four-time major champion can't overcome this bout of food poisoning, he could be forced to WD. Rory's slated to play in one of the marquee pairings -- with Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson -- with a 10:45 a.m. local time Thursday.
But he remains optimistic about his chances, as evidenced by this tweet Wednesday:
Anytime a tour pro uses the "poop emoji" to describe his current state, that's not a good sign. This is a shame, too, considering Rory sounds to really like Sheshan Golf Club.
Some irony in this potential food poisoning situation? Rory competed in a cooking competition with Charl Schwartzel last week at the Turkish Airlines Open. Now, food could keep him from teeing it up.
Equally disappointing is that Rory didn't participate in these pre-event photos in Shanghai. Nope, this isn't Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Henrik Stenson in their Halloween costumes. Just a promotional opportunity for the event.