Rory McIlroy is out of the running at Bay Hill.
The reigning Masters champion withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla., ahead of his third round Saturday due to a back injury.
McIlroy warmed up on the range before his 12:55 p.m. tee time along with Ryan Fox, but pulled out about a half hour before the round.
Per Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis, McIlroy tweaked something in his lower back while at the gym and withdrew from the tournament as a precaution.
After the second round, McIlroy, who won the 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational, was tied for ninth at 4-under. There was no sign from McIlroy that anything was bothering his back on Friday.
“Very pleased,” McIlroy said after Friday round. “One bogey. I really felt like that kept any momentum that I had for the round going. I played the last 10 holes really, really well. Overall, really pleased. Played a very sort of controlled, patient round of golf, which you need to do around here. Yeah, good day’s work.”
It’s not the first time the 36-year-old has dealt with a back injury on the links.
In 2023 ahead of the Tour Championship, he endured lower back spasms that caused him to seize up as he stretched out at home.
McIlroy went on to compete with the pain limiting his swing and speed, but he still finished tied for fourth.
However, this is only the second time in his career that McIlroy has withdrawn from a tournament. His first came in 2013 at the Honda Classic when he was 7-over and was dealing with a toothache.
Perhaps after Saturday, McIlroy will return home to Jupiter before he is set to play and defend his title at The Players Championship that starts March 12-15 at TPC Sawgrass.
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