Golf Star Rory McIlroy Updates Fans on Back Injury Status

Rory McIlroy, Grand Slam winner, will likely arrive at the TPC Sawgrass no earlier than Wednesday. The Northern Irishman has revealed that his back injury is a bit more serious than he first thought, and this will delay his much-anticipated arrival as he bids to defend his title.

McIlroy Hopeful Of Arriving At The TPC Sawgrass on Wednesday

A ‘twinge’ in his back while warming up for the third round at Bay Hill in Florida forced the two-time Players Champion to pull out of last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. The issue eventually developed into “muscle spasms” when he began to hit balls, which eventually led him to withdraw from the event. This marked just the second time in his illustrious career that he had withdrawn due to an injury, the first being the 2013 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, when he had pain from his wisdom teeth.

McIlroy continues treatment and plans to spend a few more days assessing whether he can head to Sawgrass. The Grand Slam winner is hopeful he will arrive at the TPC Sawgrass on Wednesday. The 36-year-old is scheduled to tee off Thursday at 1:42 p.m. ET alongside Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama.

“The back is being a bit more stubborn than we thought,” McIlroy said in a text to Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis during the channel’s Live From The Players broadcast on Monday. “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.”

McIlroy Could Follow Jack Nicklaus Footsteps

McIlroy, who has played in every Players Championship since 2012, hopes to stay fit enough to defend his title and become just the second player to win the PGA Tour’s flagship event three times since Jack Nicklaus achieved the feat in 1978. He shot rounds of 72 and 68 at Bay Hill before his back issue flared up, and he initially withdrew from the tournament as a precaution.

The Northern Irishman will hope he can quickly put all niggling injuries behind him as the golf season enters one of its busiest periods. McIlroy is also set for the defense of his Masters title, which begins on April 9. For now, his goal is to recover in time for The Players Championship, which begins this week at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course. However, his participation is still in doubt and will most likely depend on how his back responds to treatment over the next couple of days.