Rory McIlroy made the cut at the Players Championship despite recent back issues, securing his spot with a crucial birdie on the final hole of his second round. The world number two defended his title at TPC Sawgrass, expressing relief after a solid performance. His interaction with analyst Jim Mackay highlighted the pressure of the moment.
Rory McIlroy arrived in Ponte Vedra, Florida, on Wednesday afternoon following a back tweak at the Arnold Palmer Invitational the previous week. In the first round of the Players Championship, he posted a two-over 74, which raised some doubts among observers.
During Friday's second round, McIlroy's play was steady, featuring a mix of birdies and bogeys. As he approached the ninth hole—his 18th of the tournament—NBC analyst Jim “Bones” Mackay inquired about his plans for the coming weeks. McIlroy deferred the conversation, stating, “And I said, Bones, I’ll tell you after this hole,” adding, “There’s a lot riding on this golf hole.”
Needing a birdie on the par-5 ninth to advance past the projected cut line, McIlroy delivered. He hit a 310-yard tee shot to the left side of the fairway, followed by a 280-yard approach that landed on the green, then two-putted for birdie. “Yeah, it would have sucked to be going home this afternoon,” McIlroy said afterward, “so to hang around and hopefully play two more days, that’s a win.”
Regarding his back, McIlroy noted improvement. On Thursday, tee shots felt fine, but chipping was tender due to his upright stance. By Friday, he reported no significant issues: “I think having a day where I was like, OK, that was fine, I didn’t really feel anything, I woke up this morning felt fine, so, yeah.” He attributed some putting struggles to the condition but was optimistic about the weekend.
“I’m happy to be here for the weekend,” McIlroy said. “I’m happy to get two more runs at it.” Had he missed the cut, he mentioned possibly playing another event before the Masters next month.
