Rory McIlroy Faces Challenges at THE PLAYERS Championship
Posted: 19 hours ago
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Rory McIlroy started the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship with a score of 2-over 74, revealing signs of being out of practice as he returns from a back injury.
His participation was uncertain leading up to Thursday. McIlroy arrived at TPC Sawgrass on Wednesday afternoon and had limited time to prepare, calling it a “game-time decision” as he spoke to the media. However, he felt “100 percent” ready when he returned to the course on Thursday.
McIlroy expressed that overall the round was satisfactory, saying, “Honestly, overall it was fine. I got a little bit tired at the end of the day, but yeah, it was actually all pretty good.” The primary issue he faced was not discomfort but rust, as it had been more than a week since his last competitive round.
“It’s strange; I played on Friday, so it’s not like I’ve had an extended break,” he noted. Nevertheless, McIlroy felt unusually rusty during his play. He had limited preparation time on Wednesday, where he only hit about 30 shots and practiced on the last six holes.
The day’s weather conditions had also changed, as rain had moved through Northeast Florida, resulting in a 30-minute delay and making the golf course softer. McIlroy struggled particularly with his short game, feeling the effects on downhill lies, which placed additional strain on his back.
He experienced difficulties early on, leading to a bogey on the fourth hole after a poorly executed chip and another bogey on the fifth due to an errant tee shot. His lone birdie came on the sixth, demonstrating skill from a fairway bunker. Ultimately, he made 11 pars but ended with another bogey on the 11th hole.
McIlroy stated, “I’m glad I got through the round,” as he sits seven shots behind the leaders. He hopes to go into Friday’s round with a strategy to recover to even par. Looking ahead, he indicated his routine for the evening would mainly consist of treatment for his back and getting a good night’s rest.
