McIlroy beats Spaun in play-off to win Players

McIlroy won his previous Players title on 17 March - St Patrick's Day

Rory McIlroy claimed his second Players Championship title with a comfortable victory over JJ Spaun in a three-hole play-off at Sawgrass.

It is the Northern Irishman's second PGA Tour win of the season - and 28th of his career - and comes in the most prestigious event outside of the annual four majors.

"I am unbelievably proud and happy to win my second Players," said the world number two.

"It's the third time I've won on St Patrick's Day. It's been a good-luck charm for me."

McIlroy, a four-time major winner, dominated the play-off from the opening tee shot on the par-five 16th, booming his drive down the centre of the fairway, while Spaun, who has just one PGA Tour win, could only find the rough.

The American world number 57 chopped his second into a greenside bunker and took three from there to register a par, while McIlroy, who hit his second into the centre of the green, two-putted for a birdie.

McIlroy then found the green with his tee shot on the iconic par-three 17th 'island hole', but Spaun dunked his ball in the water to effectively end his hopes.

He took a triple-bogey six and although McIlroy three-putted to drop a shot, his lead was three going down the last.

Both players scrambled their way down the 18th following wayward drives out to the right that left them blocked by trees.

But McIlroy's advantage was so great he could tap in for a bogey to win the play-off on one over par. Spaun, who was at four over, picked up his ball without finishing the hole having taken four shots.

"I feel really bad for JJ," added McIlroy, who becomes the first European event to win the event more than once. "He hit a great shot on the 17th but it just went straight through the wind."

Spaun said "it looked like it was floating and we didn't see it land" of his tee shot on the short hole.

However, despite saying it was "hard not to feel discouraged" he would have "totally taken" getting into a play-off for the title at the start of the week.

'Scheffler has been inspiring'

McIlroy will now turn his attentions to next month's Masters as he continues his quest to complete the Grand Slam by winning the only major to elude him.

It is the first time he has won two PGA Tour events before heading to Augusta National and says he has been inspired by world number one Scottie Scheffler.

The American won an incredible nine titles in 2024, including the Masters and becoming the first player to win successive Players.

"Scottie has been on an unbelievable run and inspired all of us to try to be better," said the 35-year-old McIlroy.

"I need to be better if I want to compete with him. I've knuckled down - I've worked hard. It's nice to tie him with this [second Players title], and Tiger [Woods] and the five others that have won this multiple times."

McIlroy reiterated that he went home on Sunday night thinking he should have been taking the trophy and $4.5m prize money with him, but said despite "not a great night's sleep" he "reset and made the swings I needed to".

In fact, both players had opportunities to wrap up the title on a storm-affected Sunday in Florida.

McIlroy started the final round with a four-shot deficit to leader Spaun but had turned that into a one-shot lead after 11 holes by the time the hooter sounded to curtail play because of the threat of lightning.

When play resumed four hours later, McIlroy birdied the 12th to open a three-shot lead on the field. But a bogey on 14 checked his progress and he missed birdie chances on the 15th and 16th holes as he played the last four holes in level par.

Spaun birdied the 16th to draw level and had a 30-foot putt to win the title on the last but his ball stopped inches from the hole.

With a three-hole play-off required to decide the winner, there was not enough light left to finish the tournament, so they returned for Monday's dramatic shootout.