[Photo: Tracy Wilcox]
World No.2 Rory McIlroy withdrew from the $US20 million Arnold Palmer Invitational prior to the start of his 12:55pm third-round tee time, citing a back injury.
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According to Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis, McIlroy left the practice range at Bay Hill Club about 30 minutes before he was due to tee off with New Zealand’s Ryan Fox in the limited-field signature event. Lewis reported that the reigning Masters champion “tweaked something in his lower back” while working out before he began his warm-up on the range.
McIlroy, 36, was tied for ninth and nine strokes behind leader Daniel Berger after a second-round 68 gave hm a four-under 140 total. He told Lewis before leaving Bay Hill that he could have played but withdrew as a precautionary measure. McIlroy won the Arnold Palmer Invitational title in 2018.
The move seems to suggest that McIlroy might be healthy in time to defend his title next week at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. He defeated J.J. Spaun last year in a three-hole playoff.
