McIlroy Seeks Tiger Pointers

Rory McIlroy has "picked the brains" of Tiger Woods over the ankle injury which has prevented him defending his Open title.

McIlroy suffered a ruptured ankle ligament while playing football with friends last Saturday and told Woods about it the same day, although the world No 1 waited until Monday to release the news on Instagram.

"He sent me a photo the day he did it," Woods told ESPN.com after practising at the Old Course on Saturday. "We talked about it for a little bit.

"He said, 'You've been through a lot of injuries over the years.' So he picked my brain a little bit. We had a good talk. He's doing the right thing, taking care of his body first before he gets back out here. 

"No doubt he's frustrated that he's not going to be able to play in the Open Championship, especially here at St Andrews, and how well he's been playing of late, and this golf course really does set up well for him.

"That's the way it goes. We all get injured at one point in time. Sometimes it's through the sport or sometimes it's through fun activities. You just never know."

Woods arrived in Scotland on Saturday morning and admitted he was surprised by the condition of the course where he won the 2000 Open by eight shots and the 2005 Open by five.

"I was shocked," Woods added. "I had seen photos of it a month ago. It was bone dry. It looked like it was going to be one of those dust bowls again; hard, fast, like the years I've played St Andrews. It's changed. They got big rain and a lot of sun.

Former world No 1 Woods is currently ranked 226th after a nightmare season which has featured career-worst scores on the PGA Tour and in the US Open and a best finish of tied 17th in the Masters.

However, the 14-time major winner did card three sub-par rounds to finish joint 32nd in the Greenbrier Classic in his last start, including a bogey-free closing 67.

"I feel good," the 39-year-old added: "Sunday at Greenbrier is probably the best I hit it in two years. That was fun. It sounds crazy when I told everyone at Greenbrier that I felt close, after the scores I shot at the Memorial (85) and the US Open (80).

"I put it together at Greenbrier and hit it really good. [Instructor] Chris [Como] told me it was the first time I led the field in proximity to the hole with my iron game."

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Rory Will be Gutted - GMAC

Rory McIlroy will be "gutted" to miss out on the defence of his Open title next week, according to Ryder Cup team-mate Graeme McDowell.

McIlroy revealed on Monday that he had suffered a "total rupture" of the anterior talofibular ligament in his left ankle while playing football with friends at the weekend.

The 26-year-old pulled out of this week's Scottish Open at Gullane as a result and, although he initially did not rule himself out of competing at St Andrews, the four-time major winner has now revealed he is taking a "long-term view" of the injury and will remain on the sidelines to continue his rehabilitation.

The clash between McIlroy and Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth in the 144th Open had been eagerly anticipated and McDowell said: "It's hugely disappointing, especially with him and Jordan and everything that's going on. It was looking a really exciting Open for all involved.

"I was reading between the lines as to what the description of his injury was. I wasn't expecting him to play in the Open, so I'm not surprised he's pulled out. But it's a massive blow for the tournament, he's the world's number one player. We hope for a speedy recovery.

"No one would love to stop Jordan in his tracks next week more than Rory. With the fun rivalry going on and everything, he's going to be gutted. I saw the golf course last Saturday and I believed that Rory was rightly a favourite. I thought he'd get it done round there."

Former US Open champion Justin Rose added: "I would have been surprised if he was there given the initial diagnosis but it's a big shame for him and the tournament."

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McDowell Enjoys a Challenge

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Graeme McDowell will look to continue his brilliant record in the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge in California this week.

McDowell finished second on his debut in the tournament in 2009 and then won it in both 2010 and 2012.

However the former US Open champion faces a tough task this week as 10 of the 18 competitors in the event, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation, have won at least one major title.

Those 10 players include tournament host Tiger Woods and McDowell's compatriot Rory McIlroy, who finally claimed his first victory of 2013 in the Australian Open last week.

Woods is the 5/2 favourite with Sky Bet, with McIlroy an 11/2 chance and McDowell quoted at 11/1.

PGA Tour rookie of the year Jordan Spieth - a 22/1 shot - is the lone debutant in California after replacing the injured Brandt Snedeker.

Spieth, who is now 20, became the first teenager in more than 80 years to win on the PGA Tour when he defeated Zach Johnson and David Hearn in a play-off for the John Deere Classic in July.

Spieth is now targeting success in major championships and he said: "I know what it feels like right now down the stretch at a tour event. I have a feeling it will be a little different kind of pressure in a major championship.

"Nobody knows what it's like unless you've been in it. The only way to get better is to put myself there and learn from the experiences."

The Tiger Woods Foundation announced last month that the event will mark its 16th year in 2014 by relocating to Orlando's Isleworth Golf and Country Club.

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Padraig Misses Wyndham Cut

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Padraig Harrington missed the cut at The Wyndham Championship after a second round 74 left him at 7 over at Sedgefield Country Club.

Patrick Reed leads, a PGA TOUR rookie, shot a 6-under 64 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead with an 11-under 129 total. Players are trying to improve their positions in the final event before the FedExCup Playoffs begin next week.

"I don't mind her having all the attention," Reed said. "Less attention for me, which means I can just focus more on my game."

Reed had six birdies in a bogey-free round that was a stroke shy of matching his best of the year.

John Huh had the best round of the day -- a 62 -- to move to 10 under. John Deere winner Jordan Spieth was 9 under after a 66. Spieth also is a PGA TOUR rookie, and Huh is in his second year.

Charlie Wi, Bob Estes, Rory Sabbatini, Brian Harman, Jim Herman and first-round co-leader Ross Fisher were 7 under.

Wi had a 65, Estes, Harman, Herman and Sabbatini shot 66, and Fisher had a 69.

Organizers moved up the third-round tee times Saturday to try to dodge a threat of rain, with players going off in threesomes at the first and 10th tees.

Reed, the 23-year-old former college player at Georgia and Augusta State, had top-10 finishes in his last two tournaments. He could have built an even bigger lead in this one, but missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-3 seventh.

He closed his round with birdies on the eighth and ninth holes, sinking a 10-foot putt to applause from the gallery and walking off the green with his arm around Justine's shoulder.

She began caddying for him last summer before a Monday qualifying tournament in Houston. During a humid, 100-degree day in Texas, she had no trouble lugging around a bag full of rain gear, he said.

"I told her to read putts for me that day, and she just has a knack for reading greens extremely well," Reed said. "It's basically like my coach being out there with me. She knows just as much about the golf swing. She knows why I hit it left or right or anything like that, so I mean, if ever I get out of whack, she can fix me immediately."

Reed certainly has a history on Donald Ross-designed courses in North Carolina. He reached the semifinals of the 2008 U.S. Amateur on Ross' No. 2 course at Pinehurst, and the first cut he made on the TOUR came at this Sedgefield Country Club course two years ago after receiving a sponsor's exemption.

"That's why I love this event," Reed said.

Huh, a 23-year-old who was the youngest player on TOUR to win last year, came on strong late with birdies on his final three holes, including an 11-foot birdie putt on the ninth that closed his best round of the year.

Did he see this coming?

"Not 62. It was more like, maybe, 64," he said, laughing. "I drove the ball great since (the) Masters, actually. It's been a long time, but I was able to put everything together and I'm really pleased with it."

A breakout rookie year on TOUR continued for the 20-year-old Spieth, who was 19 last month when he became the youngest winner in eight decades with his victory in the John Deere Classic.

He had a boom-or-bust day at Sedgefield with seven birdies and three bogeys. After starting on the back nine, he birdied four of his final six holes and heard chants of "Spiethy" from the gallery.

"I wish they had said `Spieth' instead of `Spiethy,' but you can't pick your nickname," Spieth said, laughing. "It's great. It's kind of weird, kind of new to have people kind of cheering for me. ... All it does is help carry momentum, positive momentum, and hopefully, I'll have a lot of people be yelling at my back tomorrow."

The field is littered with players trying to either hold on to their FedExCup Playoffs position or force their way into The Barclays in New Jersey next week. The top 125 on the points list qualify for the postseason.

Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey, who arrived at No. 137, moved to 3 under after his 69. Fisher, at No. 162, kept himself in position to challenge for a playoff spot, and so did Herman, No. 149.

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