Rory McIlroy, battling a back injury, birdied his final hole to make the cut at the Players Championship, keeping his Masters hopes alive. Jordan Spieth’s final-hole struggles continued for a second straight day, while Austin Smotherman plays on with a baby due in nine days.
PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — The final hole of the second round at the Players Championship is a par-5, a scoring opportunity for players on the cutline. For Rory McIlroy, it was a moment of truth.
McIlroy entered the week questioning after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a back injury, a fact confirmed by AOL Sports. But on Friday, he delivered when it mattered most: birdieing his final hole, the par-5 ninth, to post a 1-over 73 and safely advance to the weekend, a detail confirmed by AOL Sports.
“I’m happy to be here for the weekend,’’ McIlroy said. “I’m happy to get two more runs at it. It would have sucked to be going home this afternoon, so to hang around and play two more days, that’s a win.’’
The drama unfolded as NBC on-course reporter Jim “Bones’’ Mackay asked McIlroy about his plans before the Masters. “I said, ‘Bones, I’ll tell you after this hole; there’s a lot riding on this golf hole,’ ’’ McIlroy recounted. The birdie not only kept his tournament alive but also likely preserved his schedule for the first major of the year.
A missed cut would have wounded his pride, McIlroy admitted, and prompted him to add an extra tournament to his pre-Masters itinerary. Instead, he gets two more rounds at TPC Sawgrass to build momentum.
Why Making the Cut Matters
For McIlroy, the cut is more than just advancing to the weekend. It’s a statement that his back can withstand the rigors of competition. With the Masters just a few weeks away, every competitive round is precious. McIlroy’s decision to play despite injury shows his commitment to finding form on the course rather than resting.
He admitted that a missed cut “does wound your pride,’’ and would have forced him to add an extra tournament to his schedule before the Masters. By making the cut, he avoids that scenario and gets two more rounds to gain confidence.
Spieth’s Consecutive Final-Hole Disasters
While McIlroy celebrated, Jordan Spieth endured another frustrating finish. For the second consecutive day, Spieth doubled his final hole. On Thursday, he hit his tee shot into the water on the 18th hole and took double. On Friday, he carded a double-bogey 7 on the 9th hole after shooting 3-under on his first nine and reaching 5-under for the tournament.
“It was just a bummer, both days to finish with doubles,’’ Spieth said. “I just played better than that. I’ve been playing really well.’’
When a reporter asked if he’ll focus on the positive aspects of his round, Spieth snapped: “Never,’’ adding, “Have you ever played golf?’’
The pattern of faltering on the final hole raises questions about Spieth’s ability to close out a round under pressure. After a resurgence in recent years, these late-round lapses threaten to undo his progress.
Smotherman’s Family Priority
In contrast to Spieth’s frustration, Austin Smotherman is handling pressure from a different angle. At 5-under par entering the weekend, Smotherman is in contention, but his mind is also on his family. His wife is due to give birth to their third child on March 23.
“I left a couple weeks ago to go play the Florida swing, and my job was just to go play golf until I got back to hopefully Houston and could just drive up to Dallas if the baby came then,’’ Smotherman explained. “My wife’s giving me the OK to play this week, just keep rolling no matter if I was shooting 5-under or 5-over, I guess.”
He plans to play the Valspar Championship next week as well. “The plan’s to still play Valspar next week. So just keep playing golf, go have a baby whenever the baby shows up. She’s not getting induced or anything, so we’re just kind of letting it roll. Our first two (children) were a week and two weeks late.’’
When asked about the possibility of his wife giving birth while he’s in contention, Smotherman said, “I don’t know what she’s going to do. She doesn’t know if she’s going to try and contact me, contact my caddie, and then figure out if he relays the info or if I just play. I’m just playing golf.’’
The Weekend Awaits
The cut at the Players Championship is always a tense moment. For McIlroy, it was a relief. For Spieth, it’s a puzzle. For Smotherman, it’s business as usual with a life-changing event on the horizon.
As the tournament heads into the weekend, McIlroy will look to build on his gritty performance. Spieth will try to break his final-hole jinx. And Smotherman will keep an ear out for any baby news.
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