Last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational witnessed Rory McIlroy withdraw from the tournament before Round 3 could begin. As per McIlroy, he felt a small twinge in his back while warming up. However, this twinge then developed into muscle spasms when McIlroy began hitting balls on the range.

This led to the Northern Irishman withdrawing from the tournament. While fans were hopeful that McIlroy would recover in time for The Players Championship this week, his participation in the tournament seems to be in doubt after a concerning update has come to light.

During an episode of “Live From The Players,” Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis received a text from Rory McIlroy, which read:

“The back is being a bit more stubborn than we thought, 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.”

If Rory McIlroy is unable to participate in The Players Championship, it will be a big blow for the golf community. Apart from being one of the biggest names in golf, McIlroy is also the defending champion as he claimed his second Players Championship title last year.

Rory McIlroy recently commented on whether The Players Championship needs to be a fifth Major

Whether The Players Championship should be a fifth Major or not is one of the fiercest debates in golf. While several people have different opinions, Rory McIlroy spoke his mind recently, and added an interesting take to this debate.

Before the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, Rory McIlroy was asked by reporters about where The Players Championship stacks up with the four Majors – Masters, U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and The Open. McIlroy said:

“Look, I’d love to have seven majors instead of five, that sounds great. I think the Players is one of the best golf tournaments in the world. I don’t think anyone disputes that or argues that. I think from a player perspective, it’s amazing. I think from an on-site fan experience, it’s amazing. It’s an amazing golf course, location [and] venue. But I’m a traditionalist. I’m a historian of the game. We have four major championships. You know, if you want to see what five major championships look like, look at the women’s game. I don’t know how well that’s [gone] for them.”

He also added:

“But it’s the Players — it doesn’t need to be anything else… Like I would say it’s got more of an identity than the PGA Championship does at the minute. So like from an identity standpoint, I think the Players has got it nailed. It is an amazing tournament in its own right, and I don’t think it being classified [as] a major or not a major makes it any more or any less.”

As fast as this writing goes, The Players Championship is not a Major, but a very important event on the PGA Tour. This year’s edition of the tournament features big names like Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, and hopefully Rory McIlroy, who will attempt to make a full recovery.