Golf-McIlroy withdraws from BMW PGA Championship with rib injury

Former champion Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from next week's BMW PGA Championship at the Wentworth Club in England due to an ongoing rib injury, the world number two said on Friday.

The 28-year-old Northern Irishman, who only returned to competition last week after taking a month off following his wedding, missed five weeks of competition earlier this year due to a rib injury.

McIlroy aggravated the injury at The Players Championship last week in Florida where he earned a share of 35th after finishing two over par at TPC Sawgrass.

"Having had a reaction to my earlier rib injury, I have been advised to take a conservative approach to my recovery which unfortunately means I have to withdraw from the BMW PGA Championship next week," McIlroy, who won the event in 2014, said on the European Tour's website.

"It's a disappointing decision to have to make, but I have to ensure I make a full recovery. I will now continue the process of preparing my game for... the rest of the season."

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)