Rory McIlroy comfortably beat unheralded American JJ Spaun in a three-hole Monday play-off to decide the winner of The Players Championship after a dramatic day on Sunday had seen the Northern Irishman let slip a three-shot lead.
McIlroy, who was bidding for his second title at TPC Sawgrass in what is colloquially known as ‘golf’s fifth major’, went into Sunday’s final round four strokes behind Spaun but an exceptional start saw him move three ahead with six holes to play, despite a four-hour weather delay due to the threat of lightning. But the world No 2 missed chances to stay ahead and Spaun made up the ground, leaving them both 12-under after 72 holes when play was suspended due to bad light, requiring a Monday return for a three-hole play-off.
