Ajaxtalk

Rory McIlroy reveals heart issue

HONOLULU, Hawaii – Former FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy has revealed he has a heart irregularity that he must monitor throughout his career but hopes it’s not a major issue.

The 13-time PGA TOUR winner and four-time major winner made the stunning admission in an interview with The Telegraph but then clarified the seriousness on his Instagram account.

McIlroy, who suffered from a rib injury for most of last season, is slated to return to the PGA TOUR at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February after playing in the Middle East on the European Tour.

He has had nearly four months off.

“The rib’s fine, no problems whatsoever – I had an MRI scan on my thoracic spine and all was OK,” McIlroy told the Telegraph.

“But I’ve got a bit of an irregularity with my heart that I have to keep on top of.

“I have a flat T-wave and I’ll have to get an echo [cardiogram] on my heart every six months and an MRI scan every year.”

McIlroy, reacting to the news exploding across the golf community, took to his social media to quash alarm.

“It’s really not that big of a deal and nothing to worry about, apart from getting an annual check up, like you should do anyway,” he said in part of his Instagram post.

“I feel there’s been a big reaction to it in the media which there really shouldn’t be. I’m fit and healthy and can’t wait to get my 2018 season started in Abu Dhabi next week.”

In the original newspaper interview McIlroy went on to explain the problem originated after falling ill in China a year-and-a-half ago.

“I suffered a really bad viral infection in China 18 months ago and they told me that’s the reason that I have this thickening of my left ventricle and there’s a bit of scar tissue,” he told the paper.

“For now, I just need to stay on top of it and have to stay fit. Hey, I was planning on doing that anyway.”

The 2016 FedExCup champion will get a chance to test the strength of his heart with plans to play possibly six times in seven weeks on the PGA TOUR once he returns.