Rory McIlroy once again proved why he is one of the best golfers of his generation, capturing his second Players Championship title at TPC Sawgrass with a thrilling final-round and playoff performance. McIlroy, who started Sunday near the top of the leaderboard, took an early lead in the fourth round before facing a fierce challenge from J.J. Spaun on the back nine.
Despite the pressure, McIlroy held his nerve down the stretch, securing the victory and the $4.5 million winner’s prize—the largest payday in Players Championship history.
Heading into Sunday, McIlroy was in prime position to claim his second Players Championship title, having won the prestigious event in 2019. He wasted no time asserting his dominance, shooting 3-under in his first 6 holes to take control of the leaderboard. His tee shots were long and accurate, his iron play sharp, and his putting—often a question mark in recent years—looked solid under pressure.
As the rest of the field struggled with the demanding Pete Dye-designed layout, McIlroy looked comfortable, building a three-shot lead by the turn. However, TPC Sawgrass is known for producing drama, and the final nine holes delivered just that.
While McIlroy remained steady, J.J. Spaun mounted an incredible charge on the back nine, making things interesting down the stretch. Spaun, who was seeking the biggest win of his career, birdied the 9th, 14th, and 16th holes to tie McIlroy at 12-under.
The par-4 18th at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most intimidating closing holes in golf, with water looming along the left side. McIlroy, playing one group ahead of Spaun, went at the hole conservatively ending with a nervous par putt.
Spaun, coming to the 18th the last group of the day behind McIlroy, knew he needed a birdie to win or a par to go to a 3 hole playoff. He found trouble with his drive off to the right but hit the shot of his life from the pine straw to roughly 25 feet, leaving Spaun with a putt to win the Players.
The attempt was as close as humanly possible to going in.
The 3 hole playoff on Monday was much anticipated as a David vs. Goliath matchup but from the first hole, Rory was in the driver's seat. After a birdie for McIlroy and a par for Spaun on the 16th, Spaun approached the iconic but incredibly nerve-wracking 17th island green knowing he needed something special to regain momentum.
With wind gusts of up to 25 mph both players looked to flight a short iron into the back pin and McIlroy successfully landed his ball right-middle of the green. Spaun looked to stick his on the pin for a birdie chance but ultimately ended up going just too long over the green and into the water.
At that moment the Players championship was signed and sealed over to Rory McIlroy for his second win at TPC Sawgrass.
With the win, McIlroy took home $4.5 million, the largest first-place prize in Players Championship history. The victory also marked his first win of the 2024 season, giving him crucial momentum heading into the Masters next month—where he will once again chase the career Grand Slam.
While J.J. Spaun finished runner-up, his performance cemented him as a rising competitor on the PGA Tour this season. Meanwhile, McIlroy’s latest triumph at golf’s ‘fifth major’ serves as yet another reminder of his greatness—and sets the stage for an exciting season ahead.
