PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Defending Players champion Rory McIlroy is delaying his arrival to TPC Sawgrass until Wednesday after he withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational Saturday with back spasms.
"The back is being a bit more stubborn than we thought," McIlroy said in a statement to the Golf Channel on Monday afternoon. "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, who was 4-under heading into the weekend at Bay Hill, withdrew from the tournament 30 minutes before his Saturday tee time. It was only the third time in his career that McIlroy has been forced to leave a tournament because of a health issue.
"While warming up in the gym this morning, I felt a small twinge in my back. As I started hitting balls on the range before the round, it worsened and developed into muscle spasms in my lower back," McIlroy said in a statement to the PGA Tour on Saturday.
The five-time major winner and grand slam champion is not only hoping to defend his 2025 Players' title this week, but he could also secure his third victory at the Players. (McIlroy also won this event in 2019.) Jack Nicklaus is the only player to ever win three times at TPC Sawgrass.
The timing of the setback is not ideal as the major championship season is set to begin next month when McIlroy is slated to return to Augusta National as the defending champion. So far this year, McIlroy has four top-15 finishes in six starts and two top-five finishes.
