Rory McIlroy gives update on back injury before The Players

PONTE VEDRA BEACH — Rory McIlroy is a game-time decision for The Players Championship.

The defending champion arrived at TPC Sawgrass from his home in Jupiter mid afternoon the day before the March 12 start of the tournament, and hit balls with clubs up into a 6-iron. He was on a course for the first time since withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational prior to his third round.

McIlroy tweaked a muscle his back during an early workout before his round at Bay Hill by overextending during weight training.

“It’s better,” McIlroy said. “It’s better than it was. I’m taking it sort of hour by hour. But it feels better. That’s all I can say.”

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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the 18th tee during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 16, 2025 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

McIlroy, who has a 1:42 p.m. tee time for the opening round of The Players, said he couldn’t stand to address the ball on the range at Bay Hill after the injury.

“All indications are pointing in the right direction, so hopefully good night tonight. The drugs are working wonders, and then just keep it going from there,” said McIlroy, who added there is no risk of causing long-term damage if he plays.

McIlroy returned home after withdrawing Saturday and visited his physio in West Palm Beach at 5 p.m. He has seen him every day since. His afternoon at TPC Sawgrass consisted of easy swings, a lot of stretching, resting between shots and a conversation with Viktor Hovland. He said he was trying to hit a wedge 30 yards on his first shot and skulled it. It went about 100 yards.

The session was pain-free.

“Right adductor started to cramp a little bit,” he said. “But it’s fine; it’s expected. But more like sensitivity rather than pain.”

After speaking with the media, he planned to walk nine holes with his wedge and putter.

“Just so I can get a feel for the rough around the greens and how firm the greens are,” he said. “It seems like a pretty different setup this year than what it’s been in previous years in March.

“So I would much rather do sort of short game and putting on the course rather than on the practice area, just get a better feel for the shots that you need. Lines off tees and clubs off tees … I know all of that stuff; it’s just getting a feel for sort of how the ball’s reacting on the greens.”

Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.

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