Rory McIlroy After 2017 PGA Championship: 'You Might Not See Me Until Next Year'

After tying for 22nd at the 2017 PGA Championship, Rory McIlroy cast doubt on his availability for the remainder of the 2017 season.

"The next big thing is April and that's really what my focus will be on from now until then," McIlroy said Sunday, according to USA Today's Luke Kerr-Dineen. "I don't know what I'm going to do. You might not see me until next year. You might see me in a couple of weeks time."

The four-time major champion said he'll meet with his fitness expert in Northern Ireland before figuring out his plan for the rest of the year. His goal is to make sure he's back to 100 percent in time to prepare for the Masters in April 2018.

McIlroy picked up a stress fracture in his ribs in January, and the injury lingered throughout the season. The PGA Championship was only his 11th event this year in the United States, compared to 18 in 2016.

There's little sense in McIlroy rushing back to the course, especially with the major season over. The worst thing he could do is attempt to continue playing through the injury and risk making it even more of a long-term issue.

Tiger Woods is a perfect example of how nagging injuries can have serious consequences for even the greatest golfers.

At 28, McIlroy is no longer the promising young star who had golf fans excited after back-to-back third-place finishes at the 2010 Open Championship and PGA Championship. His last major title was the 2014 PGA Championship, which feels like a long time ago for somebody who had two major titles before his 24th birthday.

McIlroy is arguably better off shifting his focus toward the 2018 Masters rather than the end of the 2017 campaign.