TPC notes: Rory McIlroy’s back is hurting but he plans to finish tournament

Reporting from PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.  —  Rory McIlroy has never been happier off the golf course. Now if he could just stop hurting on it.

The world’s No. 3 player and recent newlywed said he re-aggravated a rib injury in his upper right back that sidelined him for nearly two months.

After he carded a one-under-par 71 to reach even par after two rounds of the Players Championship, McIlroy said he will be able to play through the weekend. But he plans to get an MRI on Monday.

“It might just be a flare-up of what happened previously and I just need to rest for a few days and it might be OK,” he said. “Hopefully that’s what it shows in the scan next week.”

McIlroy, 28, believes is paying the price for a long layoff followed by too much practice.

McIlroy returned from the initial injury March 2 for the World Golf Championships in Mexico City. He played four times in six weeks, and then took off three weeks after the Masters to get married and go on his honeymoon.

Once the fun ended, McIlroy hit the practice range last Friday and Saturday for several hours each day.

“I felt a bit of stiffness on Sunday,” he said. “I maybe should have just taken it a bit easier over the weekend, but I was excited to get back.”

McIlroy said he does not expect to miss much time. The initial injury was a good bit more painful, but the European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship, is in just two weeks.

“If that injury was an eight or a nine in terms of pain and soreness and stiffness, this is around a four or five,” he said.

Red-hot Rahm

Jon Rahm continues to play at a high level no matter the course or conditions.

The 22-year-old Spaniard has never teed it up at TPC Sawgrass but has been a quick study this week.

Rahm enters the weekend four-under par and in the mix, five shots out of the lead held by Louis Oosthuizen and Kyle Stanley. He followed a bogey-free 68 Thursday with a round of 72 Friday yet was pleased given the fast, firm, windy conditions.

“It is very tough,” he said. “I’m playing some of my best golf and I’m only 4-under par.”

Rahm is looking to become just the third player to win the Players in his first try, joining Hal Sutton (1983) and Craig Perks (2002).

Rahm enters the third round with momentum. He ended his round with a nice up-and-down for birdie on the par-five ninth.

“That’s going to put a smile on me the rest of the day for sure,” he said.

Willett withdraws

2016 Masters champion Danny Willett’s run of poor play keeps getting uglier.

Willett followed an opening 79 with a 40 during his first nine holes Friday. This included a triple-bogey six on the par-three 17th hole when he hit a bunker shot into the water, and then had to trudge 100 yards back to the drop area to hit his fourth shot.

At the turn, Willett withdrew from the tournament. He tweeted his “body and mind need a rest.”

Winless since the Masters, Willett now has three missed cuts and a withdrawal in 2017 during six starts on the PGA Tour.