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Rory McIlroy will not be competing in the Players Championship next week because of his crowded schedule.

The 22-year-old has joined world number one Lee Westwood in giving the £5.7m Sawgrass tournament a miss.

"I'm playing here [Quail Hollow this week], taking next week off and then playing Spain, Wentworth, Memorial, week off, US Open," said McIlroy.

"If I played The Players, the US Open would be my sixth week [out] of seven, which is a lot of golf for me."

McIlroy has flown to the United States to compete in this week's Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte and returned to the country for the first time since letting the lead slip at the Masters with a fourth-round 80.

He added: "I said to myself that this year I wouldn't play more than three in a row and if I had played The Players it would be five in a row.

"It's just too much golf for me. I feel as if I just get a little lethargic and a little lazy after three events and it would just be best for my preparation for the US Open if I didn't play one of those events.

"Sawgrass was the one - I don't feel that comfortable on the golf course yet.

"That doesn't mean that I won't play it next year or the year after, but this year it just didn't really fit."

Tiger Woods is absent from Quail Hollow after suffering a mild medial collateral ligament sprain in his left knee and a mild left Achilles tendon strain.

He could also be an absentee from the Sawgrass tournament, which is golf's richest event.