'I'll see how my body feels' - Rory McIlroy to weigh up Masters prep plan after back injury issues
Rory McIlroy will use the next few days to weigh up his final preparations for month’s Masters title defence.
A return to Augusta in April offers the Northern Ireland ace an opportunity to reflect on a 2025 victory which confirmed his place as one of only six players across golf history to complete the majors grand slam.
However, it’s McIlroy’s future which will dominate his focus this week following a finish on Sunday to the Players Championship in which he tied 46th following back issues which left him making an early exit from the previous week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and have served as a disruption to Masters build-up.
McIlroy will now weigh up his options towards the Masters based around fitness levels – with an additional event under consideration before April 9.
“l’ll see...I haven't really made a decision either way,” said McIlroy on Sunday after his Players finish at Sawgrass. “I'll see how my body feels...we'll see how I feel in practice and at home and, if I get itchy feet at home, maybe add an event at some point.
"I feel like it was important to make the weekend here and play an extra couple of days...but, yeah, really just see how the next week goes, see how once I get back to actually a full practice schedule and in the gym and stuff like that, see how my body reacts to that.
"Happy I got through four days and my body feels good.
"I feel like my game sort of progressively got a little bit better as the week went on, even though the scores probably didn't reflect it over the weekend.
"I hit the ball well...I just didn't make anything on the greens.
“A couple little things to work on but, overall, not the week that I wanted.
"Just trying to take the positives.”