Rory McIlroy overcame nerves and pressure to claim his 28th PGA TOUR title and become just the eighth man to win multiple PLAYERS Championships. The Northern Irish golfer defeated J.J. Spaun in a three-hole playoff at TPC Sawgrass on Monday morning.
McIlroy, who owned a three-shot lead going into the final round, bogeyed the 14th hole after a wild drive and missed a 5-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole, allowing Spaun to tie him. The two players then went on to share the scorecard after regulation play ended, setting up the unique three-hole playoff.
The unusual format allowed McIlroy to get creative in his pre-round preparations, as he practiced hitting short irons in the same wind direction that he’d face on the actual hole. He utilized a new shot, calling it a “three-quarter three-quarter” 9-iron, which flew lower and gave him more control in windy conditions.
Despite not having his best game throughout the week, McIlroy was able to win one of the biggest tournaments in the world. He relied on a controlled fade off the tee, hit less than half his fairways during regulation, and finished 12th in Greens in Regulation, but still managed to get up-and-down more than two-thirds of the time.
“It’s a huge thing,” McIlroy said after the win, “that I was able to win one of the biggest tournaments in the world despite not having my best stuff.”
Source: https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2025/03/17/rory-mcilroy-wins-the-players-championship-tpc-sawgrass-second-players-victory-monday-playoff-spaun