Rory McIlroy struggles with back problems to two over at Players Championship

Rory McIlroy laboured to a two-over par opening round as his Players Championship title defence at Sawgrass appeared hampered by recent back problems.

Masters champion McIlroy had withdrawn from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday before his third round, but having spent some extra time recuperating at home, he did manage to complete a short practice session at Ponte Vedra on Wednesday.

The world number two, though, never really looked comfortable as he made successive bogeys at the fourth – where he went off left into the treeline – and the fifth, finding the bunker.

Rory.