'I feel like my body held up well' - McIlroy takes positives from Sawgrass after closing 71

McIlroy carded five birdies and one more double bogey the rest of the way for a 71 which left him on even par in a tie for 46th as the tournament was being decided. 

SEARCHING FOR IT: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits from the rough onto the second green during the third round of The Players Championship golf tournament Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

As a cluster of his Ryder Cup teammates took the Players Championship down to the wire, Rory McIlroy had already departed Sawgrass. The drive down the Florida coast to his home in Jupiter would have been spent focusing on the positives. 

McIlroy's defence of his Players crown came to an earlier end than he'd have liked as he was among the morning starters for Sunday's final round, a full 13 shots back of overnight leader Ludvig Aberg and the chasing pack.