A Room Service Reset and a Rom-Com Rewind
After a gut-wrenching near miss on Sunday, Rory McIlroy didn’t wallow—he ordered room service and queued up The Devil Wears Prada. But with a shot at redemption looming Monday morning, there was no time for regret—just nerves.
And boy, did those nerves hit.
“I was as nervous as I can remember,” McIlroy confessed in an interview with the PGA Tour, after waking at 3 a.m., unable to fall back asleep.
A Monday Morning Showdown
Rain delays turned golf’s biggest stage into a rare Monday morning three-hole playoff, pitting McIlroy against J.J. Spaun in a David vs. Goliath battle. This wasn’t just any playoff—it was a sudden-death spectacle at TPC Sawgrass, featuring three of the sport’s most iconic holes.
It was McIlroy, the global superstar with 27 PGA TOUR titles, vs. Spaun, a one-time tour winner and former college walk-on. But none of that history mattered with just three holes to play.
“I’m expected to win. That brings its own pressure. But I handled those nerves really well,” said McIlroy, in an interview with the PGA Tour.
Clutch Golf When It Mattered Most
Despite a sleepless night, McIlroy dialed in when it counted. On the par-5 16th, he unleashed a trademark monster drive, followed by a precise wedge to take a one-stroke lead. Then, heartbreak hit Spaun on 17—the famed island green—as his shot flew long into the water.
A triple bogey later, and the final hole was merely a formality.
McIlroy clinched his 28th PGA TOUR title, becoming just the eighth player to win multiple PLAYERS Championships—and his second win of the season before April.
Redemption After Sunday Slips
It almost didn’t happen. On Sunday evening, McIlroy held a three-shot lead with six holes to go, but bogeys and missed opportunities set the stage for a Monday do-over.
“I was disappointed I needed to come back this morning… but I had to reset and come out committed to get the job done,” he said in an interview with the PGA Tour.
Spaun’s Spirit
While Spaun fell short, he proved his mettle. He birdied the 16th to tie McIlroy and showed nerves of steel to force a playoff—becoming part of just the second three-hole playoff in PLAYERS history, the first since Rickie Fowler’s epic 2015 win.
Smart, Creative, and Calm
With only two players left in contention, McIlroy had full run of the course Monday morning. He used it to his advantage—firing short-iron shots into the wind, practicing for the pivotal 17th.
He trusted a new weapon in his bag: a “three-quarter three-quarter” 9-iron—a shot flying lower with more spin for control in high winds. And it worked perfectly.
“That shot is going to take us a long way,” McIlroy told caddie Harry Diamond.
“I feel like I’ve got everything pretty much under control,” in an interview with the PGA Tour.
Beating the Wind, Winning with Wisdom
Just like at Pebble Beach earlier this season, McIlroy tamed wild wind conditions, proving his evolving game can thrive in tough settings. Inspired by Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy has embraced more conservative play and a sharper short game.
Even with a wedge in hand on the playoff’s first hole, he aimed 30 feet from the flag—a safe move that paid off.
Not His Best Stat Week—But Still a Champ
- Hit just 28 of 58 fairways
- Ranked bottom half in Greens in Regulation
- Finished 12th in Scrambling—saving par more than 66% of the time
“By no means did I have my best stuff this week,” McIlroy admitted in an interview with the PGA Tour,,
“but I still won one of the biggest tournaments in the world. That’s a huge thing.”
The Takeaway?
Rory McIlroy showed that grit, heart, and smart golf can win championships—even when the swing isn’t perfect. With two wins before spring and a more complete game than ever, Rory’s 2025 season is shaping up to be legendary.
(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
