Live Blog
Players 2025 live blog: Rory McIlroy beats J.J. Spaun in Monday playoff at TPC Sawgrass
Richard Heathcote
It's always a bit disappointing to not crown a champion on Sunday, but golf fans have a special treat on Monday morning from TPC Sawgrass. At least, those who are able to watch while juggling work.
If you're not so fortunate, that's where we come in. We'll live blog what's going in the three-hole aggregate playoff between Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun, which begins at 9 a.m. ET.
Both players finished this edition of the Players at 12 under on Sunday, with Spaun coming agonizingly close to putting the tournament away on the 72nd hole. But if there's any event you'd want to end with three more holes, it would be this one.
McIlroy, the four-time major champ, will take on Spaun, golf's latest great underdog story, on Pete Dye's famed closing stretch at TPC Sawgrass: The entertaining par-5 16th, the hold-your-breath par-3 17th and the demanding par-4 18th. And, yes, it's all the same pin positions from Sunday. And, yes, if they're still tied after three holes, it will go to sudden death.
Exciting stuff! So keep it right here for all the latest.
9:05 ET: And . . . we're off! McIlroy had the honors on the first (16th) tee having posted his score yesterday and he pipes a perfect drive down the middle. Spaun follows with a miss into the right rough. Big advantage to Rory right away. Speaking of advantages, check out this graphic NBC Sports put up comparing the two golfers:
Wow. But over three (volatile) holes, obviously, anything's possible.
9:12 ET: Spaun drew a decent lie in the right rough, but barely stayed dry with his second shot. He's in a good spot in the front greenside bunker. McIlroy follows with a beautiful iron shot to the left side of the green. Unfortunately, he just missed the slope that would have brought his golf ball a lot closer to the hole, but he'll have a 30-footer for eagle.
9:19 ET: Spaun hits a poor bunker shot and misses his birdie putt from 20 feet. McIlroy runs his eagle putt some five feet by, but makes the comebacker for birdie to move to one under.
He leads by one shot as they head to the scariest hole in golf.
9:24 ET: McIlroy goes first and finds the back-right portion of the green with a 9-iron. A very solid shot given the conditions, putting the pressure on Spaun. He responds with a flushed 8-iron that . . . completely flies the green. Ouch.
Cameras caught Spaun peeking into McIlroy's bag and perhaps that influenced his club choice. But 8-iron sure seemed like a lot of club—especially considering the adrenaline that must be flowing through Spaun's body. Now he needs a miracle.
9:35 ET: It didn't get much better for Spaun after going to the drop area. He spins one to the front fringe then can't get up and down. It's a disastrous triple bogey. Meanwhile, McIlroy three-putts for bogey, but it's probably not going to matter. Rory leads by three heading to the par-4 18th hole.
9:38 ET: Just when we thought this tournament was over, McIlroy decides to hit driver for some reason on 18 ... and blows it WAY right. However, Spaun then hits one even worse to let him off the hook. Wild stuff.
9:45 ET: OK, this is getting tough to watch. Spaun tops his second shot back out into the fairway. Rory pitches one back into a similar spot from the fairway. Then Spaun barely finds the front edge of the green with his third, while Rory hits it to about 15 feet for his par. Looking more like the finish to a B-Flight club championship, but we're almost done here.
9:50 ET: And it's official! Rory McIlroy is your 2025 Players champ! McIlroy bogeyed 18 and only shot one over for the three-hole playoff, but he won easily. Spaun was three over and still faced a 10-footer for bogey when McIlroy closed out the playoff.
It's a second Players title for McIlroy to go along with his four majors. The 35-year-old is also off to one heckuva start to 2025 with wins at TPC Sawgrass and Pebble Beach. And now, of course, his focus turns to winning that elusive first Masters and finally completing the career Grand Slam.
As for Spaun, it's a tough result, but the $2.725 million runner-up check nearly matches his highest earning seasons on the PGA Tour. He's also the only golfer with three top-three finishes on tour in 2025. But the $4.5 million first-place check goes to Rory, who celebrated St. Patrick's Day in style. Again.
"I think this is the third time I've won on St. Patrick's Day," McIlroy told Golf Channel with a smile after. "So it's a good luck charm for me."
