PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — Rory McIlroy’s Weekend Survival at The Players Championship

Despite struggling with a troublesome back and uneven performance, Rory McIlroy managed to make it to the weekend at The Players Championship on Friday.

Having sat out the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a hip issue, he was uncertain about participating at TPC Sawgrass this week. However, he closed his round by birdieing the final hole, which allowed him to secure a spot for Saturday’s third round.

With four birdies on the par-5 ninth hole, his last of the day, McIlroy finished at 1 over par, well above the cut line.

“I’m glad to be here for the weekend. I think reaching this point is a win in itself,” McIlroy expressed, reflecting on how disappointing it would have been to head home that afternoon.

As he walked down the ninth fairway, NBC announcer Jim “Bones” McKay inquired about McIlroy’s plans leading up to the Masters. “I told him, ‘I’ll share my thoughts once this hole is done. This hole can be tricky,’” McIlroy remarked, emphasizing his desire to play on through the weekend.

He also acknowledged that missing the cut can be a hit to one’s pride. Interestingly, if he hadn’t made the cut here, he had intended to add another tournament to his schedule before heading to the Masters.

Jordan Spieth’s Frustration

Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth had a solid second day, but it ended on a somewhat sour note. Again, he faltered at the final hole, double-bogeying No. 9.

On Friday, Spieth shot 3 under on the front nine, bringing his total to 5 under, only to stumble and add a double-bogey 7 at the ninth. This echoed his previous day where he encountered a similar fate on the 18th hole.

“It’s really disappointing for both days to end like that,” he reflected. “I’ve been playing well otherwise.”

When asked by a reporter if he would focus on the positives from his round despite the endings, Spieth’s quick response was, “Never. Have you ever played golf?”

Family Matters for Austin Smotherman

In contrast, there was no drama for Phil Mickelson facing off against Austin Smotherman. Smotherman, who is at 5 under heading into the weekend, shared that he plans to continue competing even though his third child is due on March 23.

“A few weeks ago, I headed to Florida to focus purely on golf until I return to Houston,” he said. “If the baby arrives, I can just drive to Dallas. My wife has given me the green light to play this week—whether I’m five under or five over, I’m here to keep playing,” he added.

He also mentioned playing in the Valspar next week, plainly stating that he would keep playing golf while waiting for the baby’s arrival. “I haven’t received any induction medications or anything, so I’m just going with the flow. The first two were a week and two weeks late,” Smotherman explained.

When asked what his wife’s plans might be if she were to go into labor during the event, he chuckled, “I have no idea. I guess she’ll reach out to me or my caddy when needed. For now, I’m just focused on playing golf.”