Rory McIlroy and JJ Spaun will decide the Players Championship with a play-off (Image: Getty/Express Sport)
bid to win the Players Championship heads into a fifth day as the four-time major winner takes on the little-known challenger JJ Spaun in a rare play-off today (Monday). The Northern Irishman went into the final round four strokes behind Spaun, but he found some momentum with a birdie-eagle start at TPC Sawgrass, before tying for the lead after reaching the turn in 33. McIlroy then took the lead before weather delays hampered his run, and he struggled to rediscover his form as he finished the closing stretch on four-under-par with a round of 68. Spaun rued misses of his own before he birdied two of the last five holes to join McIlroy on 12-under 276 overall and force an enticing play-off.
Players Championship play-off rules
McIlroy and Spaun will play out the sixth playoff edition as the tournament rules state that if there are two or more players tied for the lead after 72 holes, the tournament will be settled by playing out a three-hole aggregate playoff. Up until 2014, the organisers had established a sudden-death format before deciding to introduce a shake-up of the rulebook.
The three-hole playoff will use players’ total scores from the course’s prestigious trio of closing holes: No. 16, No. 17 and No. 18. If there is still nothing to separate McIlroy and Spaun after those three holes, the playoff will revert to the previously used sudden-death format.
Sudden death will see the pair begin on the island green of the 17th before proceeding to the 18th hole if necessary. If there is still a tie after those two holes have been played, the sudden-death playoff format will continue at No. 16 and then 17 and 18.
Players Championship playoff start time and how to watch
McIlroy and Spaun will return to the course for a 9am (EDT) start in Florida (1pm GMT) on Monday, March 17, 2025. The play-off will be available to watch in the UK on Sky Sports Golf, with coverage starting at 1pm GMT.
The Players Championship’s final three holes are iconic and play host to the play-off (Image: Getty)
Has there been a Players Championship play-off before?
One of the PGA Tour’s flagship events, the Players Championship began in 1974 and there have only ever been five previous instances where a play-off was required to decide the winner.
Back in 2015, Rickie Fowler overcame Kevin Kisner and Sergio Garcia to claim the title. Fowler and Kisner were tied after the first three-hole aggregate playoff in championship history. However, Fowler then knocked out his fellow American Kisner with a birdie on the first sudden-death extra hole.
Rory McIlroy is hoping to wrap things up at TPC Sawgrass (Image: Getty)
What the players said
McIlroy has garnered an unfortunate reputation for missing gilt-edged opportunities that denied him winning tournaments such as the Masters. He was plagued by the same issue at TPC Sawgrass and the 36-year-old admitted he made things harder for himself by failing to find a way to close out the tournament.
“It’s been a long day. I got off to a great start before play was halted. And once we got back out there, I made the perfect start again with a birdie at 12,” McIlroy told Sky Sports. “On the way in, I feel like I gave myself chances to close the door and win this golf tournament – and I didn’t quite do that. I’m going to have to do it the hard way, stay one more night and try to do it tomorrow.”
Unlike his multiple title-winning opponent McIlroy, challenger Spaun admitted he faces the biggest test of his career in the play-off: “This amount of pressure is the most I’ve ever been under,” he said. “So to really fight through the adversity on the front nine and hit some clutch shots and make some good birdies coming in, it gives me that boost of confidence that I need.”