Rory McIlroy got an extra night in Orlando, for good reason: the Northern Irishman’s bid to claim The Players for a second time in his career was only thwarted by a weather delay, so that the world number two’s quest for a second The Players title required extra time, a three hole aggregate playoff against JJ Spaun.
McIlroy started the final round four shots adrift of Spaun but a 68 to the American’s 72 left the pair locked together on 12-under-par 276, two shots ahead of Tom Hoge, Akshay Bhatia and Lucas Glover. Shane Lowry closed with a 67 for 284 to finish in tied-20th.
On a weather interrupted final round, with a four hour suspension due to the front that included lightning, McIlroy and Spaun, the world number 57, finished tied through 72 holes and required to return to the TPC Sawgrass course for a playoff.
McIlroy, winner of The Players in 2019 and chasing a 28th win on the PGA Tour, having already won the AT&T Pebble Beach pro-am this year started the final round as a pursuer but a birdie-eagle start moved him into contention.
Of sleeping on a playoff prosect involving three holes, (the 16th, 17th and 18th), McIlroy remarked:
“I’ve never experienced it before. I don’t quite know. But yeah, it’s going to be cool to be a part of.I guess it’s very much just a three-hole match play scenario. That’s all it is. Just try to prepare as best I can tomorrow morning. Get a good night’s sleep. It’s been a very long day for all of us. Yeah, and just try to be as prepared as possible.”
“I’m happy to be in the position that I am, but also I feel like I had chances there on the back nine to close the door, and I didn’t quite do that. But I’m excited for the opportunity (to win).”
Spaun, who has only won once before on the PGA Tour and who considered retiring last year before a late-season flourish, started with a four shot lead over McIlroy before trailing by three at one point and then getting back on level terms remarked;
“I showed myself that I don’t have to shy away from the moment. I think in the past I’ve done that, just kind of been afraid of being in that spotlight, being in that pressure, be worried about failure. But it’s hard to win, and you have to fail multiple times in order to win. That’s kind of what I’ve learned throughout my career, and it paid off today.”
McIlroy and Spaun are headed into a St Patrick’s Day duel, with a $4.5 million payday to the winner.
