ORLANDO, FL. – Rory McIlroy was feeling good about his golf game going into this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club, but now the world’s No. 2-ranked golfer has to wonder.
Not only was McIlroy a surprise withdrawal from the API – one of the PGA Tour’s lucrative signature events – on Saturday but his status for two more big ones is in limbo. The Players Championship – billed as golf’s “fifth major’’ — is next week at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, and then comes the Masters next month at Augusta National in Georgia.
McIlroy would be a strong contender in both events, assuming he’s healthy. Last year he won the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam. He had earlier wins in the 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and 2014 British Open and was excited about his potential for more big victories before teeing off in the API.
“Obviously it’s a very important event on the PGA Tour and in my schedule,’’ said McIlroy, who played at Bay Hill every year since 2015 and won the title in 2018. He was 4-under-par in the top 10 after 36 holes this week and trailed leader Daniel Berger by nine shots until the back problems kicked in.
“While warming up in the gym in the morning I felt a twinge in my back,’’ said McIlroy. “As I started hitting balls on the range before my round it worsened and developed into muscle spasms in my lower back. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to continue.’’
He withdrew from the tournament – his first WD since the 2013 Honda Classic – 30 minutes before his tee time. That left playing partner Ryan Fox of New Zealand to play by himself. Two hours after their scheduled tee time together a torrential rain hit Bay Hill, forcing a delay in play for nearly two hours.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had a weird third round, making four bogeys in the first eight holes and then stringing four birdies (and five in six holes) on the back nine. He’s still far from contention entering Sunday’s final round after making a finishing double bogey for a par 72 on Saturday.
Berger, though, is another story. He’s in position for a wire-to-wire victory on Sunday. He owned a two-stroke lead over playing partner Akshay Bhatia when play was suspended darkness. Bhatia completed 16 holes with a finishing birdie and Berger has a 33-foot putt for eagle, that he chose to carry over until Sunday. Both will finish their third rounds at 8 a.m. Sunday before the final round tees off.
McIlroy is the defending champion in both The Players Championship and the Masters.
“I’m really excited for those two weeks,’’ he said. “I had seen really important signs in my game at Pebble Beach and Riviera on our West Coast Swing. My game feels in really good shape.’’
So does his mind off the course. Earlier this week he criticized Spain’s Jon Rahm for refusing to rejoin the DP World Tour and stay with the LIV circuit instead. He also lauded Luke Donald for taking on the European captaincy in the Ryder Cup again. Donald will be bidding to be Europe’s first captain to win three straight Ryder Cups, but McIlroy isn’t as excited about golf politics anymore.
“I was in the weeds with tour politics for a few years,’’ he admitted, “and I’m happy I’m out of it.’’
