Trending Now - Rory Mcilroy Nears Cut as Xander Schauffele Leads Players Championship
WHO:
Rory McIlroy, defending champion and two-time winner of the Players Championship
Xander Schauffele, two-time major winner and competitor in the Players Championship
Cameron Young, competitor in the Players Championship
Corey Conners, Canadian golfer and competitor in the Players Championship
Justin Thomas, 2021 Players champion and competitor in the Players Championship
Jordan Spieth, competitor in the Players Championship
Tom Hoge, joint course record holder at the Players Championship
WHAT:
Rory McIlroy carded a 1-under 71 to move to 1-over 145 after 36 holes.
McIlroy stated, "I wish I was further up the leaderboard. I felt like I played well enough today to be up the leaderboard, I just couldn't get a putt to drop."
Xander Schauffele posted a 7-under 65 to move to 10 under.
Schauffele hit all 14 fairways and found 16 of 18 greens during his round.
Ludvig Åberg shot a 63 that included two eagles and finished with a front nine score of 29.
Sepp Straka is at 7 under after 36 holes and has converted 15-of-15 scrambling opportunities.
Jacob Bridgeman is at 6 under after shooting 68 on Friday following a 70 on Thursday.
McIlroy made the cut at the Players Championship with a score of 71, finishing at 1-over 145.
McIlroy recorded only three birdies in the round and four birdies in the tournament.
Schauffele posted eight birdies and one bogey during his round.
Cameron Young scored 67, placing him at nine under.
Corey Conners scored 67, lifting him to eight under.
Justin Thomas scored 68, joining Conners at eight under.
Jordan Spieth finished with a score of 68, leaving him at three under.
Tom Hoge recorded a quintuple-bogey nine on the par-four seventh hole.
WHERE:
TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Bay Hill, Florida (where McIlroy withdrew)
WHEN:
McIlroy withdrew from the tournament on March 7th, 2026.
The Players Championship is taking place in March 2026.
WHY:
McIlroy avoided pre-round workouts this week to manage his back injury after tweaking it before the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
McIlroy experienced muscle spasms in his lower back, which affected his ability to play.
McIlroy expressed relief at making the cut, stating, "It would have sucked to be going home this afternoon."
HOW:
Schauffele spent time with swing coach Chris Como on the driving range to improve his performance after hitting only 5 of 14 fairways in the first round.
McIlroy achieved a two-putt birdie on the par-5 ninth hole to secure his place for the weekend.
Schauffele's strategy involved attacking the golf course rather than playing defensively.
(UPDATED March 14, 2026 03:44 UTC)
In a thrilling round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Xander Schauffele surged to the top of the leaderboard with an impressive 7-under 65, while Rory McIlroy managed a 1-under 71, expressing disappointment in not being higher up despite feeling he played well. Ludvig Åberg also shined with a remarkable 63 that featured two eagles and a stunning front nine score of 29, while Sepp Straka and Jacob Bridgeman sit at 7 under and 6 under, respectively. McIlroy, who has been managing a back injury, opted out of pre-round workouts this week, while Schauffele worked with his swing coach to refine his game after a shaky first round.
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(UPDATED March 14, 2026 01:26 UTC)
At the Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Rory McIlroy, who withdrew from the tournament on March 7 due to muscle spasms, managed to make the cut with a score of 71, finishing at 1-over 145. Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele had a strong performance, posting eight birdies and one bogey, while Cameron Young and Corey Conners both shot 67, placing them at nine and eight under, respectively. Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth also performed well, each scoring 68, but Tom Hoge struggled with a quintuple-bogey nine on the par-four seventh hole.