- Rory McIlroy is assessing his fitness "hour by hour" to decide if he will defend his Players Championship title at Sawgrass.
- The world number two withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday due to a back problem.
- McIlroy completed a short practice session on Wednesday and stated his back felt "better" than it did previously.
- He described the issue as more of a "sensitivity" and muscle fatigue rather than acute pain, noting that "the drugs are working wonders".
- This is only his second mid-competition withdrawal in his PGA career, with the last instance being in 2013.
IN FULL