Rory McIlroy's bid to defend his Players Championship title at Sawgrass next week is in doubt as he continues to struggle with a persistent back problem. The 36-year-old Northern Irishman withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday after experiencing back spasms ahead of his third round at Bay Hill.
McIlroy is taking a few more days to recover before deciding whether he can travel to Ponte Vedra for the tournament. Golf Channel presenter Todd Lewis reported receiving a text from McIlroy stating: '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 world number three last faced significant back issues in 2023, but recovered sufficiently to contribute four points to Europe's Ryder Cup victory in Rome. McIlroy had opened the Arnold Palmer Invitational with rounds of 72 and 68 before the injury flared up. This was only the second mid-competition withdrawal of his PGA Tour career, following his exit from the 2013 Cognizant Classic.
