Rory McIlroy was inside the top 10 at Bay Hill, four under par, with a $20 million weekend ahead. But a twinge in his lower back during his gym session led to muscle spasms on the range. The result: McIlroy withdrew from the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational before his third round.

“While warming up in the gym this morning, I felt a small twinge in my back,” McIlroy said in a statement. “As I started hitting balls on the range before the round, it worsened and developed into muscle spasms in my lower back. Unfortunately, I’m not able to continue and have to withdraw. I was excited to compete this weekend. I wish the Arnold Palmer Invitational a great finish and look forward to being back next year.”

McIlroy skipped his usual putting green warm-up and went straight to the range after feeling the pain. He hit balls for a couple of minutes before pulling out, roughly 30 minutes before his 12:55 p.m. ET pairing with Ryan Fox. According to Golf Channel, McIlroy then retreated to the locker room, gathered his belongings, and drove himself out of the Bay Hill parking lot around 12:30 p.m.

He told Golf Channel he could have played through the discomfort, but the numbers did not add up. Sitting nine shots behind

Daniel Berger after two rounds, with The Players Championship coming up next week and the Masters just a month away, there was no real upside to taking the risk. He is the defending champion at both events. Last year, he beat J.J. Spaun in a three-hole playoff to win The Players and completed his career Grand Slam at Augusta. Bay Hill, even with a $20 million purse, was not the place to risk either title defense.

The withdrawal comes at a time when the player was showing clear progress. He shot a 68 in the second round on Friday to move into the top 10. His results across the West Coast swing have been strong, including a T2 finish at the Genesis Invitational and solid Strokes Gained: Approach numbers at Pebble Beach and Riviera. He said on Wednesday that his game was in really good shape.

“I’m really happy with the signs that I saw at Pebble Beach and Riviera. I think I did really well in Strokes Gained: Approach in those two events. I drove the ball pretty well at Riviera.”

As he left Bay Hill, McIlroy gave a thumbs up from his car and said he was all good, according to Golfweek. This is his first notable back issue since the 2023 Tour Championship, where he played through discomfort and still finished tied for fourth.

Withdrawals like this are rare for McIlroy. He has now withdrawn mid-tournament only three times in his professional career.

Rory McIlroy’s third career mid-event withdrawal tells a different story than the first two

The first came at the 2009 Nedbank Challenge in South Africa, where flu and food poisoning forced him out. The circumstances were straightforward and carried no controversy.

The 2013 Honda Classic was a different story. McIlroy, then World No. 1 and defending champion, walked off after eight holes in his second round, already 7-over. He told reporters he was not in a good place mentally, then later said it was due to a sore wisdom tooth. The timing was notable. He had just switched to Nike equipment and was under scrutiny for his form. Ernie Els, who played with him, openly criticized the decision.

The difference with Saturday is clear. In 2013, McIlroy left after a poor week, his game and confidence both under pressure. In 2026, he left after a strong performance, with his form steady and his schedule set through Augusta. One was a withdrawal under pressure. The other was a planned decision.

McIlroy already planned to take Monday off. He will arrive at TPC Sawgrass on Tuesday, with his pre-tournament press conference set for 7:45 a.m. Wednesday in Ponte Vedra Beach.