Rory McIlroy is considering a break from golf to deal with a back muscle injury that left his left arm numb after his final round at the PGA Championship.
"Right now I can feel my left rhomboid going into spasm. It's sort of the way it has been the last few weeks," world No.4 McIlroy said after shooting a three-under-par 68 at Quail Hollow to finish one-over for the year's last major.
"It's a tough one because I go out there and play and shoot decent scores but when I come off the course I feel my left rhomboid going into spasm. Inside of my left arm goes numb."
The Northern Irishman injured the muscle in his upper back early this year in South Africa and had treatment on it, but was bothered again by the injury at The Players Championship in May.
"So I don't know what to do. I have got this next week off to assess what I need to go forward," he said.
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"I'm flying home to Northern Ireland tonight. I'll catch up with Steve McGregor (trainer) this week.
"Just sort of have a chat with him about it and see what we need to do going forward. But the more I play, it's just not allowing that time to heal 100 per cent.
"An injury like this, it's eight full weeks of rest before you start to rehab it and then you go again."
Last year McIlroy finished the season in high style, winning the Tour Championship finale and claimed the $10-million bonus prize for winning the FedExCup playoffs.
McIlroy said he might decide to skip the FedExCup events, which begin later this month.
"I feel like I'm capable and playing well enough to give myself a chance in it. At the same time, April is a long way away. That's the next big thing on my radar," he said, alluding to the Masters, the major he needs to complete a career grand slam.
