Overview
- On Monday, Rory McIlroy told Golf Channel his back is “a bit more stubborn,” so he is staying in South Florida for treatment and hoping to travel to Ponte Vedra on Wednesday.
- He withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday due to lower-back muscle spasms that flared during warmups, marking just the third injury-related withdrawal of his career.
- McIlroy remains entered and is listed in a marquee group with Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama, but his participation is uncertain and a planned Wednesday press session is unlikely.
- The Players field is set with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and other elite contenders, and McIlroy is the reigning Players and Masters champion with Augusta one month away.
- Sportsbooks still list McIlroy as the second favorite at roughly 13-1 despite the uncertainty over his ability to start on Thursday.