Rory McIlroy says he’s 100% ready to play in PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy says he’s 100% and his game appears to be in order.

He was talking about golf, not soccer.

McIlroy played another practice round Monday for the PGA Championship and declared himself ready to go at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wis. The world’s No. 1 player injured ligaments in his left ankle the first weekend in July while playing soccer with friends in Northern Ireland.

Thursday will be his first competitive round since the U.S. Open.

“To play golf it’s 100%,” said McIlroy, who has won the PGA Championship twice, including last year. “To go back on a soccer pitch, it wouldn’t be quite ready. But to do what I need to do this week, it’s 100%.”

Monday was the first official day of practice for the final major of the year, though it was interrupted throughout the afternoon as thunderstorms rumbled into the area off Lake Michigan and twice suspended play.

McIlroy got his work done in the morning. He flew in from Portugal on the weekend and played twice, and the 26-year-old from Northern Ireland said he has been playing with one ball to keep score and try to regain a competitive feel.

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Graham DeLaet of Canada withdrew from the PGA Championship because of a thumb injury. He will be replaced by Sean O’Hair.