The 2026 Players Championship has its first casualty.
And don’t worry, Rory McIlroy fans, it’s not the Northern Irishman.
Multiple PGA Tour winner Ryan Fox won’t tee it up this week at TPC Sawgrass.
The two-time winner, from New Zealand, announced early on Thursday he was withdrawing from the $25m tournament due to illness.
That’s extremely good news for hot prospect David Ford, who was last year’s PGA Tour U leader.
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The young American, 23, was this year’s first alternate and will now play alongside former US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Chris Kirk.
It will Ford’s first foray at the unofficial fifth men’s major.
Fox has enjoyed a decent start to the season by all accounts. After struggling on the PGA Tour during his first season in 2024, the 39-year-old is beginning to find his feet.
Last May, Fox captured his first PGA Tour title at the Myrtle Beach Classic.
He backed up that victory with an impressive victory at the RBC Canadian Open by triumphing over Sam Burns in a sudden-death play-off.
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Fox finished 43rd in the FedEx Cup standings.
This season, Fox has made the cut in all four of his PGA Tour starts this year, with his best finish a top-10 at the Genesis Invitational.
Rory McIlroy to make “game-time decision”
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the aforementioned McIlroy.
McIlroy only arrived at Sawgrass last on Wednesday.
He tweaked his back last week during his warmup ahead of the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and was forced to withdraw mid-competition.
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On Wednesday afternoon, McIlroy hit shots on the range all the way up to a 6-iron and felt okay.
He later walked nine holes with a wedge and a putter alongside caddie Harry Diamond.
McIlroy’s decision as to whether he will attempt to defend the title will go down to the wire, he said.
“I’m taking it sort of hour by hour. But it feels better. That’s all I can say.
“I couldn’t stand to address the ball on Saturday morning on the range at Bay Hill, and it’s obviously better than that.
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“So, yeah, probably a game-time decision, but all indications are pointing in the right direction, so hopefully a good night tonight. The drugs are working wonders.”
If he plays, McIlroy will be bidding to become the second player after Jack Nicklaus to win three Players Championship titles, and the first to win all three at the famed TPC Sawgrass course.
McIlroy is now only less than a month away from the defence his defence of The Masters.
“It’s not structural, it’s not joint, it’s fine,” he said of the issue.
“It’s purely a muscular sort of discomfort and fatigue.
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“Obviously I’ll listen to the professionals. But there’s nothing that I can do that’s going to harm that.
“Things are getting better, but yeah, I don’t think it’s something where if I play I’m at risk of doing any damage.”
Keep checking GolfMagic for regular updates of the 2026 Players.
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