Golfer Rory McIlroy has been forced to return home to Northern Ireland after suffering back pain while playing a tournament in the UAE.

The player is seeking treatment after completing the Omega Dubai Desert Classic last weekend, before which he played tournaments in Qatar and Dubai.

He commented: "My back has been bothering me for a few days now so that's why I am going for scan."

McIlroy blamed his training schedule for the pain, which he a described as a "repetitive injury and comes from hitting a lot of balls".

The Ulsterman is to have a scan on his back in Leeds after seeing a back specialist in Belfast to establish the nature of the injury before he heads to the US to take part in the WGA - Accenture Match Play Championship.

Golfers struggling with back pain may find that using ultrasound at home eases the discomfort before and after a day on the greens.

Rory McIlroy finished joint sixth in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, which ended on February 7th.