World number six Justin Rose has insisted that Rory McIlroy has to have fun away from golf, in the wake of the Northern Irishman's injury.
McIlroy has revealed that he has ruptured his ankle ligaments while playing football with friends, and he is now expected to miss The Open at St Andrews next week.
However, Rose does not think that his fellow Brit needs to change his lifestyle to protect himself from further injuries.
Ahead of this week's Scottish Open, he said at a press conference: "Rory's got to keep doing what he's been doing with his life. He's got the right to live his life and have his fun away from golf.
"I think he's the kind of guy that, if he practised 24/7, he'd get too much in his own head and it's not going to help him. That's not the way he plays, he plays really free. And that doesn't go hand in hand with someone who wraps himself up in cotton wool and practises all day without doing anything else to enjoy himself. So it's a tough one.
"Hindsight is a wonderful thing and, given the chance to go back, he wouldn't do it again. I'm sure that will be the last time he plays football until the end of the season."
McIlroy has yet to officially pull out of The Open.
Charlie Bennett
