PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL – On Monday, Rory McIlroy etched his name deeper into golfing history by capturing his second PLAYERS Championship title at TPC Sawgrass, outlasting J.J. Spaun in a three-hole aggregate playoff. The victory, which concluded under the Florida sun after weather delays pushed the final round playoff into an extra day, showcased McIlroy’s resilience and cemented his status as one of the all-time greats.
The 35-year-old Northern Irishman entered the final round with a four-shot deficit, but the Stadium Course, notorious for its unforgiving layout, tested every contender. McIlroy carded a 4-under-par 68 in the final round, finishing regulation at 12-under 272 for the tournament, tied with Spaun, who posted a gritty even-par 72.
With the PLAYERS Trophy on the line, the two headed to a Monday playoff featuring the par-5 16th, par-3 17th, and par-4 18th holes.
McIlroy struck first in the playoff, seizing the initiative with a clutch birdie on the 16th. His towering drive and precise approach left him a makable eagle putt, which he converted into a birdie to take an early lead. Spaun, meanwhile, tapped in for a par, setting up a pivotal moment on the famed 17th hole—the island green that has broken many a golfer’s dreams.
The 17th proved decisive. McIlroy played it safe, landing his tee shot on the green but three-putted for bogey. Spaun, however, faltered big time under pressure. His tee shot flew the green and found the water. After a drop, he struggled to recover, ultimately carding a triple bogey. With a three-shot cushion heading to the 18th, McIlroy just needed to avoid the water on the left. He did, and finished with a meaningless bogey, while Spaun – facing a bogey of his own – picked up his ball to give center stage to McIlroy, who finished 1-over-par across the three holes – more than enough to secure the win.
“It’s an incredible feeling to win here again,” McIlroy said in his post-round interview, his voice tinged with exhaustion and elation.
“The PLAYERS is one of the toughest tests in golf, and to come out on top in a playoff against a guy like J.J., who was playing lights out, means a lot.”
The win marked McIlroy’s 28th PGA Tour victory and his second at TPC Sawgrass, following his 2019 triumph. He becomes the first European to claim the PGA Tour’s flagship event multiple times, further bolstering his legacy. The $4.5 million winner’s check also pushed his career earnings past another milestone, but for McIlroy, the focus was on the trophy and the battle.
Spaun, who was seeking his second PGA Tour win, showed flashes of brilliance throughout the week but couldn’t recover from the 17th-hole miscue.
“I gave it everything I had,” Spaun said. “Rory’s a champion, and he proved it today.”
The 2025 PLAYERS Championship will be remembered not just for McIlroy’s triumph, but for the drama that unfolded across four days — and an extra Monday finish — on a course that demands perfection.
For McIlroy, it’s another chapter in a storied career, and a reminder that when the pressure mounts, he remains one of golf’s most formidable forces.
Top-10: THE 2025 PLAYERS
Pos-Player-To Par (Rd 4)
1. Rory McIlroy -12 (-4)*
2. J.J. Spaun -12 (E)
3. Tom Hoge -10 (-6)
3. Akshay Bhatia -10 (-2)
3. Lucas Glover -10 (-1)
6. Danny Walker -9 (-2)
6. Corey Conners -9 (-1)
6. Bud Cauley -9 (+2)
9. Robert MacIntyre -8 (-3)
10. Collin Morikawa -7 (-3)
10. Davis Thompson -7 (-2)
* Won in playoff
Credit: PGA Tour Media, Grok, Getty Images
