There was a concerning development on Saturday when Rory McIlroy withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational shortly before the third round. The Northern Irishman opted not to play any further part in the Bay Hill tournament as he tweaked his back in the gym beforehand.
At the time, it was seen as a precautionary measure, particularly as he had the defence of his Players Championship title looming less than a week later. However, he has now given an update on the situation, and admitted that the problem is proving more difficult to recover from than he had anticipated. The 36-year-old texted the Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis during the channel’s Live From The Players broadcast on Monday.
An update on Rory McIlroy's back ahead of @THEPLAYERS:“The back is being a bit more stubborn than we thought, so I’m staying at home today and tomorrow to continue treatment in South Florida with the hope to travel to Ponte Vedra on Wednesday at some point.” pic.twitter.com/zfEOx8999FMarch 9, 2026
Lewis read the details given by McIlroy on air, saying: “The back is being a bit more stubborn than we thought, so I’m staying at home today and tomorrow to continue treatment in South Florida with the hope to travel to Ponte Vedra on Wednesday at some point.” On Monday at TPC Sawgrass, practice rounds were scheduled, albeit behind closed doors, although Tuesday’s practice rounds are open to the public. However, given the defending champion now isn’t planning to arrive at the venue until Wednesday, fans with tickets for Tuesday will be disappointed. It is to be hoped he will be able to attend the final day of practice rounds on Wednesday, and that it will offer him the time he needs to be ready for his Thursday tee time of 1.42pm local time, where he is due to play alongside Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama.
Assuming McIlroy can take his place in the field on Thursday, he will be hoping to become only the second player to win the PGA Tour’s flagship event three times after Jack Nicklaus achieved the feat in 1978. Beyond The Players Championship, there are other big tournaments on the horizon for McIlroy, not least the defence of his Masters title, which begins on 9th April.
.png?w=600)
