Rory McIlroy provides latest toe update ahead of PGA Championship first round

Rory McIlroy has moved to calm concerns over a lingering toe injury on the eve of the PGA Championship, insisting he will be “all good” when he begins his latest major campaign at Aronimink Golf Club on Thursday.

The world number two addressed reporters after his final practice round on Wednesday, striking an upbeat tone despite a disrupted build-up caused by pain in the little toe of his right foot. 

McIlroy, who turned 37 last week, confirmed he is ready to tee it up in the second men’s major of the season with no excuses.

His preparations have been far from straightforward though. 

McIlroy was forced to cut short his practice round on Tuesday after just three holes, using a golf cart after discomfort flared in his foot. 

Explaining the decision, he said: “Because I didn’t think I could walk the next six. It was sore and I did feel a little soft having to walk in because of a little toe.”

The issue first emerged when McIlroy was seen limping during last week’s Truist Championship, where a blister formed under the toenail.

In an attempt to manage the problem ahead of the PGA Championship, McIlroy removed the toenail, although swelling and bruising remained. 

Even so, he reported a significant improvement after completing nine holes on Wednesday.

“Popping the blister relieved the pressure but it was swollen and bruised, so it’s just sore,” said McIlroy. “But it’s fine, all good.”

McIlroy is understood to be wearing a toe separator and extra bandaging to assist his recovery process. 

A change of golf shoes has also helped ease discomfort. 

McIlroy has switched to a wider, softer Nike shoe with extra cushioning to reduce pressure on the affected toe. 

“I figured it out and separated the little toe from the other ones and a bit of cushion around it definitely helped,” he told a pool of reporters. 

“Then going to a bigger shoe and a different style as well, a little wider and a little softer in the toe box. It’s half a size up and it’s a wide fit so there’s just a bit more room.”

While he stressed the injury does not affect his swing, McIlroy admitted the real test comes in walking the 7,394-yard Aronimink layout.

“Walking downhill, whenever your foot slides into the very end of your shoe is when it maybe gives me a bit of bother,” he said. 

“But it’s totally fine. A mountain out of a molehill.”

Despite the setback, McIlroy remains firmly focused on the task ahead as he chases down a seventh major title and a third PGA Championship victory, with the possibility of back-to-back majors to begin the 2026 season.

McIlroy became only the fourth player in history to successfully defend The Masters last month, further strengthening his position among the modern game’s elite, with many now in agreement the Ulsterman is the greatest European golfer of all time. 

He is currently tied on six majors with Sir Nick Faldo, and a victory at the PGA this week would see McIlroy match Harry Vardon for the most amount of majors by a European golfer with seven. 

No male golfer has ever completed a calendar-year sweep of the four modern majors — a feat beyond even Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods — though McIlroy now has a theoretical chance to attempt it across this week’s PGA Championship, next month’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, and July’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Bookmakers currently price him at 150/1 to complete the unprecedented achievement.

Bobby Jones remains the only player to win all four major championships in a single year, doing so in 1930. 

McIlroy begins his PGA Championship campaign at 8:40am local time alongside Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm, with attention now turning to whether his foot holds up over four demanding days at Aronimink.