PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Defending Gamers Champion Rory McIlroy withdrew from Saturday’s Arnold Palmer Invitational with again spasms, delaying his arrival at TPC Sawgrass till Wednesday.
“Buck was just a little extra cussed than we anticipated,” McIlroy mentioned in a press release to Golf Channel Monday afternoon. “So I will keep dwelling right now and tomorrow and proceed my remedy in South Florida and hope to go to Ponte Vedra someday on Wednesday.”
McIlroy, who entered the weekend at Bay Hill at 4 underneath par, withdrew from the event half-hour earlier than tee time on Saturday. That is simply the third time in his profession that McIlroy has been compelled to withdraw from a event on account of well being points.
“This morning whereas warming up within the health club, I felt a small soreness in my again. As I began hitting balls on the follow vary earlier than my spherical, my signs worsened and developed into spasms in my decrease again muscle tissues,” McIlroy mentioned in a press release to the PGA Tour on Saturday.
The five-time main and Grand Slam champion not solely hopes to defend his 2025 Gamers title this week, but additionally probably win his third Gamers title. (McIlroy additionally received the occasion in 2019.) Jack Nicklaus is the one participant to ever win 3 times at TPC Sawgrass.
The timing of the setback just isn’t splendid, as the foremost championship season begins subsequent month, when McIlroy is scheduled to return to Augusta Nationwide because the defending champion. Up to now this yr, McIlroy has 4 top-15 finishes and two top-five finishes in six begins.
