Injury rules McIlroy out of Abu Dhabi

LONDON - World No. 2 Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from the Abu Dhabi Championship after tests Monday showed he picked up a rib injury in South Africa last week, the European Tour said. The Northern Irishman had intense physiotherapy treatment and took pain-killers over the weekend at the South Africa Open after struggling through much of Friday’s second round. The four-time major champion, who lost to Englishman Graeme Storm on the third playoff hole at Glendower Golf Club, will start a rehabilitation program for the stress fracture. “To be forced to miss this week through injury is really quite annoying to be perfectly honest, but I am sure the tournament will be a huge success and I hope everyone involved has a great week,” McIlroy said in a European Tour statement. “In situations like this you simply have to listen to the experts and the team I have consulted have all advised me to rest until my rib has fully recovered.” The Abu Dhabi event, the first on the European Tour’s Desert Swing, includes three 2016 major winners - Danny Willett, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson - plus holder Rickie Fowler. Garcia set for Singapore Sergio Garcia enjoyed a hard-earned winter break after a hectic 2016 and the Spaniard is now fit, fresh and raring to go when he opens his campaign at the Singapore Open this week in a region where he has enjoyed plenty of success. Garcia has won five events in as many countries on the Asian Tour and Singapore could become a sixth should he navigate the demanding Serapong Course better than a field of rivals that includes three-time tournament winner Adam Scott and Ernie Els. “I’ve always felt comfortable coming to Asia, I’ve done very well here in the tournaments I have played,” the world No. 15 told reporters at Sentosa Golf Club on Tuesday. “It’s always exciting to come here, not only for us but also for Asian fans, they don’t get to see us that often so you always feel like there’s a lot of good energy around so it makes for exciting times.” Garcia regarded 2016 as one of his most productive years as a golfer, breaking a four-year winless drought on the PGA Tour with his second Byron Nelson triumph in Texas last May before playing in the Olympics and for Europe in the Ryder Cup. This year, his playing schedule is far less frenetic but the 37-year-old is refusing to set specific targets other than to play well and try to put himself in the mix for victories.