Rory McIlroy and JJ Spaun squared off in a three-hole aggregate playoff at The Players Championship on Monday, and Spaun stood virtually no chance to win after committing a familiar TPC Sawgrass mistake.
McIlroy and Spaun both finished 12-under after all four rounds of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. That led to the two golfers having to play the 16th, 17th and 18th holes in a playoff on Monday.
McIlroy birdied the 16th to start the playoff and take a 1-shot lead over Spaun, who made a par. McIlroy then hit his tee shot safely onto the famous island green at the par-3 17th hole. Spaun did not.
Spaun flew his tee shot over the green and into the water.
Splash for Spaun on 17 💔 pic.twitter.com/Rdj0eYu6nM
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 17, 2025
The 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most famous in golf, and that is exactly why. It is extremely difficult to land the ball on the green, even for the best players in the world. Since the PGA Tour began tracking in 2003, well over 1,000 balls have been hit into the water at the 17th hole during The Players Championship.
Spaun needed to at least make a par on 17 to give himself a chance, but he finished with a triple bogey. McIlroy played it safe and made bogey to take a three-shot lead into the final hole. The playoff was all but over after that.
Spaun played well all weekend and even exploited the rules for a huge break at one point. In the end, it was not enough to stop McIlroy from winning a second Players Championship since 2019.
