McIlroy on the mend and aiming to March into Mexico

Rory McIlroy is targeting the Mexico Championship in March as his return to tournament action from injury.

McIlroy aggravated a rib stress fracture while finishing runner-up at the SA Open in Gauteng two weekends ago.

Such injuries typically take about six weeks to heal, and he believes he'll be ready to play again in the first World Golf Championship of the year, March 2-5.

"I feel like I can maybe get back before that, but if I were to play (the) Honda (Classic) and then go straight to Mexico, I'd be playing two weeks in a row. I'd like to ease my way back in gently," McIlroy said on Tuesday.

He said the Mexico Championship in Mexico City was ideal because there was no cut.

"I can see how everything feels, and I have a week off after that," he added.

World No 2 McIlroy has already missed the Abu Dhabi Championship, and pulled out of the Dubai Desert Classic next week.

The injury means he will also miss the Genesis Open in California and the Honda in Florida next month.

He put the injury down to an extra-busy offseason, when he hit a lot of balls to make a swing change and test drivers.

"My muscles just said, 'We've worked hard, and we don't want to work hard anymore,'" McIlroy said.

Day's schedule

Jason Day is thinking about playing all three California coastal events on the PGA Tour thanks to the new strength-of-field policy that requires players to sign up for one event that they haven't been to in the last four years (the exception is for those who played at least 25 times last year).

Day said he is leaning toward adding the Genesis Open at Riviera, the week after he plays Pebble Beach.

"We're out here on the West Coast, it's early on in the year, so I'm just getting it out of the way to try to focus on my whole year," Day said.

Riviera is regarded among the best on the PGA Tour and already has received commitments from Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.

Tiger Woods is the unofficial host now that his foundation runs it.

"I think my best finish at LA is like 56th, so it should be a good one," Day said.

He was slightly off. His best finish was a tie for 62nd in 2012. He missed the cut the previous two years and has never broken par at Riviera.

Day said his game is better now than it was five years ago. Besides, he never really fared great at Bay Hill or the TPC Sawgrass and won both those last year.

LPGA changes

The LPGA Tour is giving more players a chance to take home $1 million at the end of the year.

The tour has made slight modifications to its points system for the Race to the CME Globe. Ultimately, the top five players going into the final tournament only to have to win the CME Group Tour Championship to claim the previous prize.

Previously, only the top three had a clear shot to the $1 million.

Also, the top 12 players - up from the top nine - will have a mathematical chance at winning the Race to the CME Globe.

Easy election

In a campaign that lasts only a month and features no debates and even less rancor, the players on the PGA Tour policy board have selected Robert Castro, Matt Kuchar and Johnson Wagner to run for chairman of the Players Advisory Council (PAC).

The election ends Feb 17, which is Friday of the Genesis Open at Riviera. Whoever is elected chairman will serve a three-year term on the policy board starting in 2018.

The selection of three players keeps one streak going - an international player has never been voted PAC chairman.

Among the international players appointed to this year's PAC were Englishman Paul Casey, Australians Geoff Ogilvy and Rod Pampling and Tim Wilkinson of New Zealand.

Newcomers to the PAC include Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

College subs

Starting this year, the NCAA will allow substitutions in match play at the Division I men's championships.

Beau Hossler of Texas injured his shoulder during the semifinals last year. Because he couldn't play, Texas had to forfeit one of its five matches in the championship against Oregon, and the Ducks wound up winning the title.

The NCAA golf committee said teams should be able to substitute a player at the coach's discretion when the eight teams advance to match play. The committee said the new policy not only helps the injured or sick player and his team but it prevents the opposing player from having to sit out an important match.

Divots

The USGA and R&A are making such strong progress in updating the Rules of Golf that a rough draft is expected in March, with a feedback period expected to last into the fall. The new rules could be ready to take effect as early as 2019 ... The winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur this fall will receive an exemption into the British Open. Previously, the Asia-Pacific Amateur champion received a spot in the Masters and was exempt into the final stage of qualifying for the British Open. The Open now gives spots to four amateur champions - US Amateur, British Amateur, European Amateur and Asia-Pacific Amateur ... Kevin Chappell plays one week after his wife Elizabeth gave birth to their second child ... Jason Day has signed a three-year deal with Zurich in which its logo will be on his golf bag. He is playing the Zurich Classic, a two-man team event, with Rickie Fowler.

Stat of the week:

Justin Thomas is the only player in the top 200 to win on the PGA Tour over the past seven events. He was at No 22 when he won at Kapalua and at No 12 when he won the Sony Open.

Final word:

"Nobody remembers what anybody shoots anymore. It's who won." - Tom Weiskopf.