McIlroy’s Fightback: Birdie on the Final Hole Fuels Players Championship Hopes
Rory McIlroy, the reigning champion, has significantly boosted his prospects of making the cut at the Players Championship after a dramatic birdie on his final hole. The Northern Irish star, who has been battling a persistent back injury, endured a challenging opening round at TPC Sawgrass, carding a two-over par 74. However, a crucial birdie on the ninth, his last hole of the day, propelled him to a one-under 71, positioning him well for a weekend appearance.
McIlroy admitted to Sky Sports that his physical condition was still a concern. “I felt a little bit better,” he stated. “If anything, it was just that I was struggling to trust everything was okay yesterday. I struggled a little bit on lies that were beneath my feet and stuff like that, but today I felt pretty good and felt like I hit the ball well. I really just couldn’t get a putt to drop. That was the issue.”
Despite the pain, McIlroy displayed his characteristic grit. “I tried my best, I grinded and made a good birdie at the last, hopefully to make the cut,” he added. He elaborated on his preparation, or lack thereof, due to the injury. “Game feels good, I just went five or six days without really touching a club or doing anything, so just getting my feels back a little.”
Looking ahead, McIlroy expressed a desire for a strong finish. “Hopefully another couple of days to get myself up the leaderboard. I’m 11 back at the minute, I’m not sure I’m going to contend for the title, but hopefully two good days and have a respectable finish.”
This performance comes after McIlroy’s withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational before the third round on the Saturday prior. He opted for extra recuperation at home, deeming himself fit enough to defend his title in Florida. He had described his opening round on Thursday as “rusty,” a sentiment that seemed to stem from his struggle to navigate the course.
However, McIlroy showed immediate improvement on Friday. He began his second round with a birdie on the par-four 10th, sinking a five-foot putt. A bogey on the 14th momentarily pushed him back to two over par, but he regained a stroke on the par-five 16th, reaching the turn in one under for the round.
The five-time major champion faced another setback on the fourth hole, finding the water and dropping back to level par for his round.
Yet, on the lengthy 582-yard par-five ninth hole, McIlroy showcased his power, reaching the green in two shots. He narrowly missed an eagle opportunity from over 30 feet, leaving him just inside the projected cut line of two-over par.
The prospect of missing the cut is something McIlroy takes seriously, acknowledging the personal blow it would represent. “I think it does wound your pride,” he admitted during his press conference. “I think I have 280-odd starts on the PGA Tour and I’ve missed maybe less than 30 cuts. So, yeah, I’m proud of that.”
He further explained the implications of a missed cut on his schedule leading up to the Masters. “But if I had have missed the cut, I probably would have added an event going into the Masters, so hopefully I’m here for the weekend and I don’t have to do that.” His determination to play through the weekend and avoid an altered pre-Masters schedule is evident.
