The Players notebook: Rory McIlroy arrives late, PGA Tour debates relegation and Ludacris takes over TPC Sawgrass

From Rory McIlroy's late arrival to the PGA Tour revealing big potential plans from their future, we take a look back at some of the storylines ahead of The Players at TPC Sawgrass.

PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp offered an impressive showing during his pre-tournament press conference, where he departed to a strong round of applause after revealing plenty of new information in his 50-minute stint.

One takeaway was his reference to English football's promotion and relegation between the Premier League and the Championship, as the PGA Tour plans to implement a similar system among six other themes to schedule changes.

Although a definitive schedule for future years appears some way from being finalised, the details discussed about the work involved gave plenty of encouragement that strong progress was being made.

A new-look schedule of 21-26 events is the current thinking for a plan he described as "not a baked cake yet", with more Signature Events - with fields of around 120 players - and more tournaments held in big US cities.

Rolapp said he wants to "make every tournament matter", with a "second track" of PGA Tour events running alongside the Signature Events.

There's still plenty yet to be decided, including the format for the play-offs and how they look to attack the international market, but there were plenty of unknowns about the tour's future answered.

Build-up to the event has been dominated by the fitness of Rory McIlroy, so it was pleasing to see him on the grounds late on Wednesday to prepare for a potential title defence.

He may have only hit up to a six-iron during a limited range session, but McIlroy hitting a club in general is stark progress from him having to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday.

Cameras followed McIlroy's every move as he arrived at TPC Sawgrass around 2.20pm local time on Wednesday, then tracked his warm-up routine and his media scrum outside the press building.

McIlroy appeared cautiously optimistic about a back injury that he described as "sensitive rather than pain", with the world No 2 planning to make a "game-time decision" on whether to tee it up on Thursday afternoon.

A nine-hole walk around TPC Sawgrass with caddie Harry Diamond, a wedge and a putter was going to be the extent of McIlroy's remaining prep, with the five-time major winner unable to commit to being fit to tee it up.

"All indications are pointing in the right direction," McIlroy insisted. We may have a clearer idea until he see him - hopefully - on the first tee, alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele, at 5.42pm UK and Ireland time on Thursday.

An annual tradition at The Players is for all the debutants to speak to the media on Wednesday morning, with the 14 first-timers sat on director-style chairs on the lawn in front of the clubhouse.

Marco Penge is among those making his maiden appearance, having secured his PGA Tour card last season after winning three times on the DP World Tour season, with the Englishman of huge interest and facing more interviews than many others.