ATLANTA – Three-time Tour Championship winner Rory McIlroy is always among the favorites at East Lake, but this week the Northern Irishman begins with an asterisk.
Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis reported that McIlroy injured a muscle in his lower back on Monday and hadn’t practiced or played before he arrived at the course Thursday.
McIlroy, who won last year’s Tour Championship after falling 11 shots behind starting strokes leader Scottie Scheffler early in Round 1, arrived at East Lake early Thursday for treatment and hit about 20 balls before going back for more treatment.
Sources told Lewis that McIlroy will attempt to play the Tour’s season finale. He’s scheduled to tee off at 1:49 p.m. ET and will begin the week three shots behind points leader Scheffler.
If McIlroy withdraws from the event, he would dropped to 30th on the final FedExCup points list, which includes a $500,000 bonus, compared to $18 million to this week’s winner.
