After the PGA Tour resumed play after a lengthy weather delay on Sunday afternoon, Rory McIlroy quickly snagged a three-shot lead with six holes to play. He looked destined to grab his second Players title as he had firm control of the tournament.
Players Championship Results, Payouts: Rory McIlroy claims second title at TPC Sawgrass
Rory McIlroy defeated J.J. Spaun in a three-hole playoff on Monday. Here are full results and payouts.
Jack Milko has been playing golf since he was five years old. He has yet to record a hole-in-one, but he did secure an M.A. in Sports Journalism from St. Bonaventure University.
But a bogey on the par-4 14th and four straight pars to finish opened the door for other pursuers. Included among that group was J.J. Spaun, who birdied the 14th and par-5 16th to match McIlroy at 12-under par. He then finished par-par on 17 and 18 to force a playoff on Monday morning.
The new playoff format at The Players is similar to that of the PGA Championship: a three-hole aggregate playoff played on the par-5 16th, par-3 17th, and par-4 18th, perhaps the best finishing stretch in golf. McIlroy got off to a hot start, making a birdie on the 16th after uncorking a massive drive off the tee. Spaun could only summon a par, as he could not get up and down from the greenside bunker for a four.
Then, on the pivotal 17th, McIlroy found the putting surface on this island green.
Spaun, meanwhile, air-mailed the surface, finding the water and all but ending his hopes of defeating the four-time major winner. He may have gotten baited into hitting an 8-iron, as he saw McIlroy grab his 9-iron moments before. But McIlroy, as he did all week, hit a perfectly flighted three-quarter 9-iron into the middle of the green while Spaun’s 8-iron carried much too far.
The 18th hole then became inconsequential, as both players made a bogey. McIlroy then walked off the 18th green with a second Players title in his hand, and now, all sights are set on McIlroy vying for the Grand Slam at Augusta National next month.
The Players Final Leaderboard & Payout:
* — Won in a three-hole aggregate playoff on Monday.
1. Rory McIlroy -12* — $4,500,000
2. J.J. Spaun -12 — $2,725,000
T3. Lucas Glover -10 — $1,325,000
T3. Tom Hoge -10 — $1,325,000
T3. Akshay Bhatia -10 — $1,325,000
T6. Bud Cauley -9 — $843,750
T6. Corey Conners -9 — $843,750
T6. Danny Walker -9 — $843,750
9. Robert MacIntyre -8 — $731,250
T10. Collin Morikawa -7 — $656,250
T10. Davis Thompson -7 — $656,250
T12. Patrick Cantlay -6 — $556,250
T12. Jake Knapp -6 — $556,250
T14. Alex Smalley -5 — $418,750
T14. Tommy Fleetwood -5 — $418,750
T14. Sam Ryder -5 — $418,750
T14. Aaron Rai -5 — $418,750
T14. Denny McCarthy -5 — $418,750
T14. Sepp Straka -5 — $418,750
T20. Ryan Fox -4 — $240,250
T20. Keegan Bradley -4 — $240,250
T20. Shane Lowry -4 — $240,250
T20. Stephan Jaeger -4 — $240,250
T20. Min Woo Lee -4 — $240,250
T20. Daniel Berger -4 — $240,250
T20. Scottie Scheffler -4 — $240,250
T20. Max McGreevy -4 — $240,250
T20. Matt McCarty -4 — $240,250
T20. Joe Highsmith -4 — $240,250
T30. Harris English -3 — $163,750
T30. Russel Henley -3 — $163,750
T30. Will Zalatoris -3 — $163,750
T33. Justin Thomas -2 — $136,250
T33. Kurt Kitayama -2 — $136,250
T33. J.T. Poston -2 — $136,250
T33. Taylor Moore -2 — $136,250
T33. Rico Hoey -2 — $136,250
T38. Si Woo Kim -1 — $111,250
T38. Justin Lower -1 — $111,250
T38. Taylor Pendrith -1 — $111,250
T38. Davis Riley -1 — $111,250
T42. Matt Kuchar E — $81,688
T42. Billy Horschel E — $81,688
T42. Chris Kirk E — $81,688
T42. Hayden Springer E — $81,688
T42. Tom Kim E — $81,688
T42. Jesper Svensson E — $81,688
T42. Ryan Gerard E — $81,688
T42. Mac Meissner E — $81,688
T50. Beau Hossler +1 — $63,500
T50. Jacob Bridgeman +1 — $63,500
T52. Byeong Hun An +2 — $60,750
T52. Sahith Theegala +2 — $60,750
T54. Charley Hoffman +3 — $58,250
T54. Camilo Villegas +3 — $58,250
T54. Joel Dahmen +3 — $58,250
T54. Matthieu Pavon +3 — $58,250
T54. Carson Young +3 — $58,250
59. Jordan Spieth +4 — $56,750
60. Jhonattan Vegas +5 — $56,250
T61. Sungjae Im +6 — $54,500
T61. Trey Mullinax +6 — $54,500
T61. Austin Eckroat +6 — $54,500
T61. Chandler Phillips +6 — $54,500
T61. Will Chandler +6 — $54,500
T61. Cameron Young +6 — $54,500
67. Emiliano Grillo +7 — $$52,750
68. Isaiah Salinda +8 — $52,250
T69. C.T. Pan +9 — $51,500
T69. Sami Valimaki +9 — $51,500
71. Rickie Fowler +11 — $50,750
72. Xander Schauffele +13 — $50,250
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
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