Rory McIlroy withdrew before the third round of the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida on Saturday, citing a lower back problem.
McIlroy said in a statement he had felt a “small twinge” in his back while warming up in the gym early Saturday as he prepared for the third round at Bay Hill in Orlando.
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“As I started hitting balls on the range before the round, it worsened and developed into muscle spasms in my lower back,” the Northern Ireland star said.
“Unfortunately, I’m not able to continue and have to withdraw.”
McIlroy exited the tournament after reaching the halfway stage at four under, nine shots behind 36-hole leader Daniel Berger.
McIlroy’s withdrawal comes at a critical period of the season, with the five-time major-winner due to defend his Players Championship title at TPC Sawgrass and his Masters title at Augusta next month.
Elsewhere, Australia’s Min Woo Lee kept within touching distance of leader Daniel Berger with a four-under 68 in the third round, recovering after a bogey on Hole 1.
Berger, currently 13 under par, was one of many competitors that couldn’t complete their third round on Saturday due to darkness.
Fellow American Akshay Bhatia is second at 11 under par, closely followed by Sepp Straka, Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa on nine under par.
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