McILROY IN RACE TO BE FIT FOR THE PLAYERS DEFENCE
World number two Rory McIlroy in race to be fit in time for THE PLAYERS Championship. (Photo: Thompson Visuals)
By Paul Gallagher
Concerns for Rory McIlroy’s fitness were heightened overnight after it emerged the Grand Slam winner is leaving his arrival to TPC Sawgrass for THE PLAYERS Championship to the last minute as he and his team assess his back injury.
McIlroy was forced to withdraw from last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour and was due to arrive at Sawgrass by now ahead of the defence of THE PLAYERS Championship which starts on Thursday.
McIlroy spoke to the Golf Channel on Monday and said: “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 two said he felt a “twinge” in his back while warming up for the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational last Saturday and went on to endure spasms when hitting balls. He subsequently withdrew from the event.
Of equal concern is The Masters which is just four weeks away when all eyes will be on Augusta National from April 9-12 where McIlroy will look to defend the title he won 12 months ago to secure the historic Grand Slam and become only the sixth player to manage the feat.
Should McIlroy declare himself fit for THE PLAYERS this week, he will tee it up alongside Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama. Shane Lowry will tee off alongside JJ Spaun and Sepp Straka, while Seamus Power is alongside Patton Kizzire and Johnny Keefer.
Last week’s event is only the second time McIlroy has been forced to withdraw midway through a tournament. The other time was in 2013 at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches due to pain in his wisdom teeth.