Rory may rest up for Augusta

STRUGGLING WITH A BACK INJURY Rory Mcllroy

- BY SAM FROST

RORY MCILROY admits he does not know whether he will play again before defending his Masters title after a hard-fought week at The Players.

Mcllroy was a "game-time decision" to play at TPC Sawgrass after a back injury forced him to withdraw halfway through last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The muscle issue eased enough for the 36-year-old to tee it up in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, but he looked decidedly rusty, particularly on and around the greens, as he narrowly made the cut.