Darren Clarke is confident that Rory McIlroy will be challenging for titles again in 2018 when he has recovered from his injury issues.

The 49-year-old has spoken out about his fellow Northern Irishman, who has been battling to shake off a troublesome rib injury for the majority of the year and has subsequently been restricted to playing in just 15 events.

McIlroy has failed to win any tournament and is facing going through a calendar year without a victory since 2008 as he has just next month's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship pencilled in his schedule following the current FedEx Cup play-offs.

Indeed after missing the cut at the recent Dell Technologies Championship, the four-time major championship and reigning FedEx Cup holder must put in a good performance at this week's BMW Championship to ensure he forces his way back into the top-30 in the standings to seal his place in the fourth and final Tour Championship event of the series.

Regardless of how he fares in the next month, Clarke is in no doubt that McIlroy will be champing at the bit in 2018 once he has a few months off to get himself fully fit.

He said: "It’s been a difficult year for Rory because he got injured in the first tournament and to try and play through an injury that’s niggling away, it restricts you.

"It’s a difficult thing. It never gave him any chance to get any real momentum this year and momentum is huge whenever you’re up at that standard of golf. And Rory tried so hard. But Rory’s the most talented player in the world, so he’ll be fine."

He added: "He just needs to get rid of that injury, and I know he's got a great man there in [sports scientist Dr] Steve McGregor and he’ll go see all the right people and put that injury to bed and get himself right. And when he does he’ll hopefully come out firing."