Rory McIlroy withdraws from Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday morning with muscle spasms in his lower back

Rory McIlroy withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday morning with muscle spasms in his lower back, ending his weekend at Bay Hill after two rounds.

McIlroy was 4-under through the cut and had moved up the leaderboard Friday after opening with an even-par 72 on Thursday. He felt a twinge warming up in the gym Saturday morning, went to the range to test it, and it got worse. Spasms set in and that was that.

The smart money says this was the right call. According to Todd Lewis of Golf Channel, McIlroy felt he could have gutted it out and finished the tournament. He withdrew anyway, specifically to protect himself ahead of the Players Championship next week and the Masters next month.

Those are the two biggest events on his schedule between now and Augusta and respectfully, neither one is worth jeopardizing for a third-round Saturday at the Arnold Palmer.

Rory McIlroy withdraws from Arnold Palmer Invitational

🚨🗣️⛳️ #STATEMENT — Rory McIlroy has given more insight into his WD today.

“While warming up in the gym this morning, I felt a small twinge in my back. As I started hitting balls on the range before the round, it worsened and developed into muscle spasms in my lower back.… pic.twitter.com/Ykx8jkJRSQ

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) March 7, 2026

Rory McIlroy is the defending Players champion and one of the favorites to finally win the Masters and complete the career Grand Slam. Playing through back spasms at Bay Hill to chase Daniel Berger, who enters the third round at 13-under, would have been the dumbest possible risk management decision. He did not make it.

This is only the second withdrawal of Rory McIlroy’s entire PGA Tour career. The last one was in 2013 at what was then the Honda Classic when he pulled out with a sore wisdom tooth. The guy does not quit tournaments. The fact that he walked away from this one tells you everything about how seriously he is taking the next eight weeks.

Back spasms are one of those things that can go from manageable to genuinely serious in a hurry, especially if you are swinging a golf club through them. The Players is in seven days. The Masters is in a month. Take the weekend off, get treatment, and show up healthy.

It is the only move that makes sense.

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