Rory McIlroy withdraws from Bay Hill with back spasm as golf enters a big stretch

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Rory McIlroy withdrew from the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday when he felt muscle spasms in his back that were not going away.

The spasms were not thought be to serious enough to keep him out of The Players Championship next week where McIlroy is the defending champion. He was headed to his home in south Florida.

“While warming up in the gym this morning, I felt a small twinge in my back. As I started hitting balls on the range before the round...