The Players Championship: Rory McIlroy overcomes nerves to secure play-off win at TPC Sawgrass

17 March 2025, 15:23 | Updated: 18 March 2025, 06:03

Rory McIlroy admitted he was nervous about closing out victory before continuing his impressive start to the season with a play-off win at The Players.

McIlroy had overturned a four-stroke deficit to open a three-shot lead with six holes to play of a weather-affected final round at TPC Sawgrass on Sunday, only to stutter along the close stretch and finish level with JJ Spaun on 12 under.

The pair returned on Monday morning for a three-hole play-off, where McIlroy birdied the par-five 16th before back-to-back bogeys were enough to close out victory after Spaun triple-bogeyed the par-three 17th.

• Rory McIlroy outlasts JJ Spaun in Monday play-off