Rory McIlroy confirms if he plans to play on the PGA Tour again before The Masters
· Yahoo Sports
Rory McIlroy’s Masters preparation has been thrust into uncertainty as he recovers from a back injury.
This injury forced him to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational and arrive late at TPC Sawgrass to defend his Players title. He didn’t play any practice rounds in the build-up to The Players and finished T46.
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Since then, McIlroy has played in the TGL semi-final with his Boston Common GC, a positive indicator of his health heading into The Masters. But playing in an indoor simulator league for an evening is totally different to four gruelling days at a tournament.
After his performance at The Players, McIlroy might want to shake off any bad feelings before Augusta, and he has a couple of opportunities to do so. And speaking after his TGL semi-final, McIlroy confirmed when he plans to play.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty ImagesRory McIlroy confirms he has no plans to play before The Masters
Speaking to reporters after TGL, the reigning Masters champion appears to be prioritising his recovery over playing into form.
He was asked when he plans to play next, and if he can give a sneak preview of the famous pre-Masters champions dinner, which he will host for the first time.
McIlroy responded, “I think the Masters is going to be my next event, and I’ve got a press conference there on zoom at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow to reveal the menu, so…”
It seems sensible for McIlroy to take some weeks off to ensure he’s fully fit ahead of The Masters. If he’s comfortable with his game, then the biggest threat to contending is his health.
Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott’s pre-Masters plans
The same question was put to McIlroy’s teammates, Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott, and they both revealed their plans for the build-up to The Masters.
First, Team USA’s Ryder Cup captain from last summer, Bradley, who is playing the Valspar Championship this week. He said, “I’m leaving tonight and playing Tampa, and then the Masters, yeah.”
Then, the 2013 Masters champion Scott, who is still undecided, said: “Yeah, I’m not sure. I’ll figure out my schedule tomorrow. I might play one of the events before the Masters.”
There’s still plenty in the air ahead of Augusta, with players looking to fine-tune their form before the first major of the year.
Balancing rest against rust is a difficult challenge, and one that even the very best in the world haven’t yet solved completely.