Rory McIlroy is in a race against time to defend his Players Championship crown at TPC Sawgrass this week after revealing his troublesome back problem is proving harder to shake than anticipated.
The 36-year-old Northern Irishman had hoped for a swift recovery following his withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but things haven't gone to plan.
"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," McIlroy told Golf Channel's Todd Lewis.
McIlroy pulled out of Bay Hill ahead of his third round on Saturday after feeling a small twinge in his lower back during his warm-up, which then developed into muscle spasms on the practice range.
Rory McIlroy admitted he is carrying a 'stubborn' back injury
|REUTERS
The world number two had been sitting in a decent position at four-under par, tied for ninth, when the injury struck.
At the time, the decision to withdraw was viewed as a sensible precaution given what lies ahead in the calendar.
The grand slam champion even considered trying to battle through the discomfort but ultimately decided against risking further damage to his back.
The timing of this injury couldn't be worse for McIlroy, with the Masters at Augusta National just around the corner from 9-12 April.
The Holywood golfer heads back to Georgia as defending champion for the first time after finally completing the career Grand Slam last year.
Rory McIlroy is hoping to defend his Players Championship title
|REUTERS
It was a moment that cemented his place among golf's all-time greats alongside Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.
McIlroy's victory came in dramatic fashion, as he held his nerve to beat Justin Rose in a play-off after nearly surrendering a final-day lead.
That triumph capped off a decade of near misses at Augusta.
Rory McIlroy won The Masters last year, completing the Career Grand Slam in the process
| REUTERSShould McIlroy's back respond well to treatment over the next 48 hours, he's set to tee off alongside some stellar company at the PGA Tour's flagship event.
The defending champion is scheduled to play his opening two rounds with fellow major winners Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama – one of the headline pairings of the week.
However, arriving on Wednesday would leave McIlroy with just one practice round at best before his title defence begins on Thursday.
His participation now hinges entirely on how his body responds to the ongoing treatment in South Florida over the coming hours.