Rory McIlroy looked set to walk away with the title at The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. With a three-stroke lead over J.J. Spaun after a four-hour weather delay, McIlroy faced a rain-softened course that seemed ripe for victory. However, Spaun was tenacious, leveling the score with two remarkable shots and maintaining composure through one of the most challenging endings in golf. The day’s play concluded with them tied, too late for an immediate playoff, prompting a Monday finish at TPC Sawgrass.
McIlroy kept a watchful eye on Spaun while leading. At the 18th hole, McIlroy needed two putts from 75 feet to secure a 4-under 68, as Spaun nearly sank a 30-foot birdie that would have bagged the win. Spaun, chasing his first major win, said, “Everyone expects him to win… I expect myself to win. That’s all I care about.”
The scenario began promisingly for McIlroy, who made birdies before and after the delay, increasing his lead by three strokes. He played the final half-dozen holes at one over par, with a crucial 4-foot par putt on 18 only narrowly going in.
In closing regulation play before dark, McIlroy and Spaun both ended at 12-under 276, setting the stage for a thrilling Monday replay over the pivotal par-5 16th, the notorious island hole on the par-3 17th, and the challenging 18th at TPC Sawgrass. This is the first time since 2022 for The Players Championship to have a Monday conclusion and the first playoff since 2014.
McIlroy, a four-time major winner, remarked, “You’ve got to make five good swings… So try to get up there, make five good swings tomorrow morning, and get this thing done.”
Tom Hoge, after a rain-forced pause before his birdie attempt on the 18th, missed the crucial putt to finish two shots back with a 66. Lucas Glover clawed back after a rocky start to tie with Hoge at third, each earning $1,325,000 from the golf tournament’s record $25 million purse. Akshay Bhatia also joined the third-place tie with a round of 70.
Bud Cauley made a resilient return from serious injuries sustained in a 2018 car crash, finishing sixth after an early stumble with a round of 74, collecting enough points for his medical exemption to continue his tour year.
McIlroy charged into contention, cutting a four-shot deficit with birdies and an eagle putt at the par-5 second. He took the lead with Spaun’s bogey on the seventh hole. Spaun saw fortune on the ninth when reliefs allowed his unchallenging approach to result in a birdie.
Despite McIlroy building towards a win, Spaun’s resilience kept the competition open with significant shots on the 14th and fearless play through delays and McIlroy’s lead extension after rainy interruptions. McIlroy’s game struggled slightly in the closing stages with inaccurate drives and poorly judged greens.
Scottie Scheffler, the past two-time winner aiming for a third consecutive title, found himself outpaced by competitors. He completed the tournament at 20th place, hindered by a sequence of missed birdie opportunities and a final round posting of 73. Reflecting, Scheffler commented on his desire to win again but noted, “At the end of the day, I just didn’t have what it took this week.”
As the play rolls into Monday, the anticipation builds for who will emerge victorious from this draw between McIlroy and Spaun, each vying for the coveted championship at Sawgrass.
