On Sunday, Rory McILroy had to come from behind to start the playoff series at the players' championship. On Monday, he won the playoffs with a relative facility on JJ SPAUN to win the so-called fifth major of the golf course.
McILroy was played in the playoffs, pulling a 68 under 48 Sunday to come with four shots. Spaun, the leader of the third round, hung on to one of the most popular and accomplished golf players in his rear view mirror.
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The two entered the Monday eliminatory series with two completely different stories:
• McILroy, classified n ° 2 in the world, trying to catch up on the world n ° 1 Scottie Scheffler; Spaun, classified n ° 54, trying to make a name for itself.
• McILroy, winner of 27 times PGA Tour, trying to win the No. 28 and his second championship of players; Spaun, a single winner, trying to recover victory No. 2 and the greatest victory of his career.
• McILroy, quadruple major winner, trying to compare in shape before the masters in a few weeks; Spaun, who has only played six majors since his return 13 years ago, trying to win his second invitation to Augusta National and in the first since 2022.
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The players' championship presents a single qualifying series format: a three -hole global score in 16 – a Getable by 5 – 17 – the famous Island Green – and 18 – the second most difficult hole on the entire route.
N ° 16, 521 yards by 5
McILroy took the early advantage, finding the Fairway on his starting coup while Spaun found himself at Rude. This led to a 5 -foot for Birdie for McILroy, a 22 feet for Spaun. McILroy converted, the Spaun couldn't.
McILroy -1, spaun e
No. 17, 130 yards by 3
Faced with an 11 MPH front wind, choosing the right club to find dry land has become the challenge for the two players. McILroy, striking first, dropped his safe at around 30 feet beyond the hole, putting pressure on the spaun … which completely stole the green with an iron at 8, his first ball in the water all week.
From there, Spaun struck the fall zone, had to use a collar hole area on the green and, well, the tournament even with Mcilroy with three strokes.
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McILroy e, spaun +3
N ° 18, 472 yards by 4
Even with a comfortable advance, McILroy did not rely, grabbing the driver of the 18th tee and striking well. For a while, Spaun had a glimmer of hope … until he followed by hitting even more right than McILroy. From there, it was just a question of playing the chain, which McILroy did with a Bogey – taking out the Spaun of meaning didn't even need to finish.
McILroy +1, Spaun –
What does that mean?
McILroy, already with a victory in the season, is playing the best golf in the world right now. He will go to the masters knowing him. But … are you okay?
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“Scottie (Scheffler) was on an incredible race and I think it inspired us all to try to be better – I know that I must be better if I want to compete with him,” said McILroy after accepting the winner's trophy. “I bowed, I worked hard.”
This has been an entire career since its last victory in a major way in 2014. And although the players' championship is certainly a good addition to its curriculum vitae, it will not calm the speech – or the ghosts in its head – when it will arrive at Augusta National in April.
For Spaun, there is still a silver lining. He will move in the top 30 in the world ranking and should earn invitations to majors this season. Since it was not qualified for any of the four majors last year and only one in 2023 is something.
