Rory McIlroy entered Monday’s playoff against J.J. Spaun as the prohibitive favorite, yet the beatdown was greater than even the most pro-McIlroy bookmaker could have predicted.
The playoff began on the par-5 16th, where McIlroy struck first. With a towering drive and a precise approach, he set up a birdie, putting immediate pressure on Spaun, who could only manage a par. The momentum swung firmly in McIlroy’s favor on the famous par-3 17th, the island green, as Spaun’s tee shot found the water, leading to a disastrous triple bogey, while McIlroy played it safe, resulting in a bogey, extending his lead to three shots.
By the time they reached the par-4 18th, the outcome was all but decided. McIlroy, despite a bogey after a wayward approach, cruised to victory with a 1-over-par aggregate across the three holes. Spaun, already at 3-over, and facing another bogey, picked up his ball, allowing McIlroy to tap in and secure victory.
“It’s an incredible feeling to win here again,” McIlroy said in his post-round interview, hoisting the sun-splashed PLAYERS trophy.
“TPC Sawgrass tests every part of your game, and to come out on top in a playoff against a tough competitor like J.J. is something I’ll remember for a long time.”
McIlroy’s triumph at TPC Sawgrass adds to his earlier win at Pebble Beach and further cements his legacy on the PGA Tour. The win netted him a cool $4.5 million from the tournament’s record purse and propelled him back into the spotlight, ahead of the Masters. For Spaun, the runner-up finish was a career highlight, though he’ll rue the miscue on 17 that derailed his bid for a maiden PLAYERS title.
PGA Tour Pro-File
Full Name: Rory Daniel McIlroy
Nickname: Rors
Nationality Northern Ireland
Height: 5′ 9″
Weight: 180 lb
Birthdate: May 4, 1989 (age 35)
Native: Holywood, County Down, N.I.
Resides: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Turned Pro: 2007
PGA Tour Rookie: 2009
Family: Erica (Wife), Poppy (Daughter)
Best Masters: 2nd (2022)
Best PGA: 1st (2012, 2014)
Best Open: 1st (2014)
Best U.S. Open: 1st (2011)
Highest World Rank: 1st
Equipment: Taylormade
The PLAYERS Championship: Top Performers
Top-5 Scores
Pos-Name-Score (Rd 4)
1. Rory McIlroy -12 (-4)
1. J.J. Spaun -12 (E)
3. Tom Hoge -10 (-6)
3. Akshay Bhatia -10 (-2)
3. Lucas Glover -10 (-1)
Top-5 Check Cashers
Pos-Name (Money)
1. Rory McIlroy – $4.5m
1. J.J. Spaun – $2.725m
3. Tom Hoge – $1.325m
3. Akshay Bhatia – $1.325m
3. Lucas Glover – $1.325m
Rory McIlroy’s Winning Numbers
Topline Stats
Driving: 299.8 yards (23rd)
Fairways: 28/58, 48.28% (67th)
Greens: 47/75, 62.67% (39th)
Putts/GIR: 1.68 (17th)
Birdies: 21 (T3)
Strokes Gained: Total: 14.614 (T1)
Scoring
Round-By Round
Rd 1: 67/-5 (-5, T4)
Rd 2: 68/-4 (-9, T4)
Rd 3: 73/+1 (-8, T5)
Rd 4: 68/-4 (-12, T1)
Playoff: +1, 1st
Hole Scoring
Par-3: +2
Par-4: -6
Par-5: -8
Rory McIlroy’s 2025 PGA Tour Season
Starts: 4
Cuts Made: 4
Wins: 2 (Pebble, Players)
Additional Top 10: 0
Earnings: $8,719,714 (1st)
FedExCup Pts: 1,586 (1st)
World Rank Before/After: 2/2
McIlroy’s Career Victories
PGA Tour: 27
2025 PLAYERS Championship (2)
2025 Pebble Beach Pro-Am
2024 Wells Fargo Championship (4)
2024 Zurich Classic
2023 Genesis Scottish Open
2022 CJ Cup (2)
2022 Tour Championship
2022 RBC Canadian Open (2)
2021 CJ Cup
2021 Wells Fargo Championship (3)
2019 WGC-HSBC Champions
2019 TOUR Championship
2019 RBC Canadian Open
2019 PLAYERS Championship
2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational
2016 Tour Championship
2016 Deutsche Bank Championship (2)
2015 Wells Fargo Championship (2)
2015 WGC-Cadillac Match Play
2014 PGA Championship (2)
2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
2014 The Open Championship
2012 BMW Championship
2012 Deutsche Bank Championship
2012 PGA Championship
2012 The Honda Classic
2011 U.S. Open
2010 Quail Hollow Championship
European Tour (Pure): 10
2024 DP World Tour Championship (3)
2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic (4)
2023 Hero Dubai Desert Classic (3)
2016 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open
2015 Omega Dubai Desert Classic (2)
2015 DP World Tour Championship (2)
2014 BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
2012 DP World Tour Championship
2011 UBS Hong Kong Open
2009 Dubai Desert Classic
Quotable: Rory McIlroy
Q. It took an extra day, but you got it done.
RORY McILROY: I didn’t get it done last night and I really wanted to. I’m expected to win, as well. That brings its own pressure in some way.
But I felt like I handled everything and handled those nerves really well.
WITB: Rory McIlroy
The 35-year-old Northern Ireland native won his 28th PGA Tour title playing a full TaylorMade bag, from driver (Qi10) to golf ball (Tp5x).
Rory McIlroy’s Winning Bag
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9˚)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15˚)
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18˚)
Iron: TaylorMade P760 (4)
Irons: TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9)
Pitch: TaylorMade MG4 (46°)
Gap: TaylorMade MG4 (50°)
Sand: TaylorMade MG4 (54˚)
Lob: TaylorMade MG4 (60˚)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Ball: TaylorMade TP5
Credits: Getty Images, PGA Tour Media
