Rory McIlroy’s Masters stance after Players Championship verdict | Golf | Sport

Rory McIlroy has revealed he will make a last-minute decision on whether to compete in any further tournaments ahead of his Masters title defence next month. The Northern Irishman has been hampered by a back injury.

As he presses on with his recovery, McIlroy has the opportunity to enter as many as three tournaments between now and the Masters. The Valspar Championship takes place this week, followed by two consecutive tournaments in Texas.

Speaking after his final round at the Players Championship, McIlroy is yet to commit to any plans and is eager to assess his physical condition.

“I haven’t really made a decision either way. I’ll see how my body feels,” he said, via the Irish Times.

“We’ll see how I feel in practice and at home and if I get itchy feet maybe I’ll add an event at some point. I feel like it was important to make the weekend here and play an extra couple of days …

“Just see how the next week goes, see how once I get back to a full practice schedule and in the gym and stuff like that, see how my body reacts to that … and then I’ll see.”

McIlroy made the cut to complete all four rounds of the Players Championship, but ended in 46th position, 13 strokes adrift of winner, Cameron Young. However, for McIlroy, the objective was simply to navigate the tournament.

“Happy I got through four days and my body feels good,” he said.

“I feel like my game sort of progressively got a little bit better as the week went on, even though the scores probably didn’t reflect it over the weekend.

“I hit the ball well. I just didn’t make anything on the greens. Happy to come through four rounds and feel like my body held up well.”

The Masters begins on Thursday, August 9, and continues until Sunday, April 12. McIlroy claimed the tournament last year courtesy of a playoff triumph over Justin Rose.