Rory McIlroy is set to arrive later than planned for this week’s PLAYERS Championship after revealing that his back injury has proven “a bit more stubborn” than first anticipated, though he still expects to be fit to defend his title at TPC Sawgrass.
The two-time winner of the event was involved in last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill but was forced to withdraw on Saturday due to feeling “a small twinge” in his back during his pre-round warm-up.
“As I started hitting balls on the range before the round, it worsened and developed into muscle spasms in my lower back,” he said.
The move was initially seen as precautionary however, the world no. 2 gave an update on the situation revealing that he was still nursing the issue which left uncertainty over whether the five-time major winner would take part.
“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,” the Northern Irishman said speaking to Golf Channel‘s Todd Lewis.
McIlroy defeated American J.J. Spaun in a play-off last year to claim the PLAYERS Championship title and he also won the event in 2019.
This year, McIlroy has been grouped with America’s Xander Schauffele and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama for the first two rounds of the tournament and is scheduled to tee off for his first round at 1.42pm on Thursday.
THE PLAYERS Championship will take place between 12-15 March.