McIlroy and Spaun face Monday play-off at The Players
Rory McIlroy is looking to win his second Players title
- Published
The Players Championship - round four leaderboard
-12 R McIlroy (NI), JJ Spaun (US)* -10 T Hoge (10), A Bhatia (US), L Glover (US) -9 D Walker (US), C Conners (Can) -8 R MacIntyre (Sco), B Cauley (US)
Selected others: -7 C Morikawa (US) -5 A Rai (Eng), T Fleetwood (Eng) -4 S Scheffler (US), S Lowry (Ire) -2 J Thomas (US), +4 Spieth (US) +13 X Schauffele (US)
* McIlroy and Spaun to play three-hole play-off on Monday at 13:00 GMT
Rory McIlroy says he "should be going home with the trophy" but will have to return on Monday for a play-off after American JJ Spaun erased his lead over the final few holes at a storm-affected Players Championship.
After a four-hour delay for lightning in Florida, the 2019 champion raced into a three-shot lead at the 12th hole, only to lose his touch on the greens and be dragged back by overnight leader Spaun.
Indeed, Spaun was inches from winning it but his fine birdie putt from 31 feet on the 18th green stopped agonisingly short.
"I feel like I gave myself chances to close the door and win this golf tournament but I didn't quite do that," said McIlroy. "So I am going to have to do it the hard way."
As the daylight disappeared at TPC Sawgrass, it was confirmed McIlroy and Spaun will contest a three-hole play-off on Monday from 13:00 GMT - which you can follow live on the BBC Sport website - to decide who will win the 51st iteration of the PGA Tour's flagship event.
"I think this amount of pressure is the most I've ever been under," said Spaun. "To make some clutch shots on the back nine gives me some self belief.
"[McIlroy is] going to be tough to beat, but on this final stretch of 16, 17 and 18 anything can happen."
McIlroy started the day four shots back at eight under par but birdied the first and then had an eagle three at the par-five second to virtually eradicate Spaun's advantage.
After a bogey at seven, he joined the leaders with a birdie at the eighth and remained in top spot, despite persistent challenges from Spaun and fellow Americans Akshay Bhatia and Tom Hoge.
He seized solo first place with a tremendous 14-foot birdie putt on the 11th just moments before play was suspended at 17:15 GMT because of the risk of lightning.
When play finally resumed four hours later, McIlroy immediately raced into a three-shot lead with a birdie at the 12th while Spaun bogeyed the 11th.
A ragged bogey at the 14th allowed Spaun to close the gap as the tension increased around this famous course.
The four-time major winner then missed short birdie chances at the 15th and 16th with Spaun joining him at 12 under with a tap-in birdie on the par-five 16th.
The 34-year-old American showed great touch on the green to navigate the infamous island hole 17th in par, while McIlroy managed to two-putt from 70 feet on the 18th, puffing out his cheeks with relief as his four-foot par putt sank amid the gloom.
Spaun's approach to the last also came up short, leaving himself 30 feet to win a career-changing title. He looked devastated as his ball stopped inches short of dropping into the hole.
He will get a second chance though. After a marathon Sunday, he will join McIlroy on the 16th tee on Monday for a three-hole play-off.
McIlroy misses golden chance to seal second title
If McIlroy wins on Monday, it will be his 28th title on the PGA Tour
Having won already on the PGA Tour this season, at the Pebble Beach Pro-am in February, McIlroy got himself in a perfect position to continue the momentum.
He has never won twice on tour before heading to April's Masters and a victory here will be an ominous statement of intent before his annual quest to complete the career Grand Slam continues in four weeks' time at Augusta.
And when he birdied the 12th hole eight minutes after returning to the course, there was a sense of inevitability he would go on to become the first European to win multiple Players Championships.
Yet, there remains a relatable vulnerability to McIlroy in the biggest tournaments.
While not as costly - or as shocking - as last year's short-putt misses down the stretch that saw him lose the US Open title - failing to convert a birdie on the par-five 16th hole after missing from five feet for birdie at the 15th cost him victory here.
Spaun, who has only won once on the PGA Tour, showed remarkable composure on the closing three holes and nearly nicked the glory at the end.
He outplayed McIlroy by three shots when they were paired together in round three on Saturday and has proved he will be tough to crack when they face off on Monday.
Electrical storms mean marathon day
America's Tom Hoge was on the 18th green closing out the best round of the day when play was suspended
Organisers had moved the final round to an earlier start with players going out in groups of three and two-tee starts to try and avoid the forecasted storms.
But they could not outrun the lightning, which arrived earlier than anticipated with the leading groups only a couple of holes into the back nine.
The course was evacuated and play suspended for four hours, leaving players and fans alike unsure of whether action would return.
Fortunately the weather cleared and fans were treated to a gripping finish, if not a champion.
Behind McIlroy and Spaun, American Hoge shot the joint-best round of the day to finish in a tie for third, carding a six-under 66.
The 35-year-old's score of 10 under par set the clubhouse target and was matched by fellow American Bhatia, who at 23 was the youngest player to hold the 36-hole lead at The Players.
From a British perspective, Scot Bob MacIntyre finished in a tie for seventh on eight under after a closing 69.
His Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood was three shots further back at five under par, alongside English compatriot Aaron Rai who increased his chances of featuring against the US at Bethpage in New York later this year with another composed round.