Defending champion Rory McIlroy will be a game-time decision on Thursday at The Players Championship. The World No. 2 from Northern Ireland arrived in Ponte Vedra Beach late Wednesday afternoon after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday due to a back strain he sustained while warming up in the gym.

McIlroy spent about 25 minutes testing his swing at the practice area at TPC Sawgrass and spoke to reporters afterward.

"It's better. It's better than it was. I hit up until a 6-iron on the range and it felt OK. I've got about, I don't know, 20 hours until I'm supposed to tee off tomorrow. So we'll see. I'm taking it sort of hour by hour. But it feels better. I couldn't even stand to address the ball on Saturday morning at Bay Hill, so it's obviously improved," he said.

"Probably a game-time decision, but all indications are pointing in the right direction. Hopefully a good night tonight—the drugs are working wonders—and we'll just keep it going from there."

Since seeing his physio on Saturday, McIlroy said he hasn’t done much, but he isn’t experiencing pain.

"I would say it's more like sensitivity. It's not really pain at the site, but more like fatigue in the surrounding muscles. My right adductor even started to cramp a little, but it's fine and expected," he added.

McIlroy won last year’s event in a playoff against J.J. Spaun. Like Scottie Scheffler in 2023 and 2024, McIlroy is a two-time champion, having first won the tournament in 2019. Only Jack Nicklaus has won The Players Championship three times.

"I've been playing here since 2009, so I know the course well. We’re going to walk nine holes with just a wedge and putter to get a feel for the rough and the greens. The setup seems different from previous years," McIlroy said.

He also expressed confidence that the sensitivity will improve over the week and emphasized there is no risk of aggravating his back.

"It's not structural, it’s not joint-related, it's purely muscular discomfort and fatigue. There’s nothing I can do to harm it, and I’ll continue to follow the advice of the professionals," the five-time major winner said. -Field Level Media/Reuters