Rory McIlroy will face JJ Spaun in a Monday play-off at The Players after the Northern Irishman let a three-shot lead slip over the closing holes of a marathon Sunday.
McIlroy went into the final round four strokes behind Spaun but charged into contention with a birdie-eagle start at TPC Sawgrass, then found himself tied for the lead after reaching the turn in 33.
The world No 2 moved to the top of the leaderboard shortly before a four-hour weather delay, due to the threat of lightning, with McIlroy then birdieing his first hole after the restart – the 12th – to move three ahead with six holes to play.
McIlroy came from four back into a tie for the lead after a thrilling final round at The Players
McIlroy bogeyed his next hole and missed chances along the closing stretch, seeing him post a four-under 68, as Spaun birdied two of his last five holes to join the Northern Irishman on 12-under 276.
Earlier delays meant there was not enough daylight left for the three-hole play-off, dragging the tournament into a fifth day, with the pair set to resume at 9am local time (1pm GMT) – live on Sky Sports – to decide the winner of the PGA Tour’s flagship event.
Tom Hoge, Akshay Bhatia and Lucas Glover finished two strokes back in tied-third on 10 under, with Danny Walker a further shot back in a share of sixth alongside Corey Conners and Bud Cauley.
How McIlroy and Spaun got dragged into fifth day
The threat of thunderstorms forced the PGA Tour to bring tee times forward for the final round, with a two-tee start in operation and players going out in threeballs to try and get the tournament completed on schedule.
McIlroy made the dream start by finding an eight-foot birdie at the first and draining a 10-foot eagle putt at the par-five second, following a stunning approach with a long-iron, cutting his overnight deficit cut from four strokes to a single shot.
McIlroy made the dream start to his final round at The Players, birdieing the first and eagling the par-five second to jump within one of the lead
Spaun missed a chance to birdie the second and lost his solo lead with a bogey at the fifth, dropping him level alongside Bhatia – who birdied three of his first four holes – and McIlroy on 11 under.
McIlroy failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker to save par at the seventh but responded with a 15-foot birdie at the par-three next, with the four-time major champion reaching the turn tied for the lead despite failing to take advantage of the par-five ninth.
McIlroy was playing alongside Corey Conners and Alex Smalley in the penultimate group
Spaun – in the final group – birdied the ninth to get to 11 under, as Bhatia fell behind after starting his back nine with a bogey, while McIlroy edged ahead after adding another birdie at the par-five 11th before play was halted.
McIlroy jumped three ahead with a 12-foot birdie once play resumed at 5.15pm local time (9.15pm GMT), following Spaun’s three-putt bogey from distance at the previous hole, only to give the chasing pack hope when an errant tee shot into trees at the 14th led to a bogey.
McIlroy is looking to claim his second PGA Tour victory of the season, having won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Spaun fired his approach at the same par-four to tap-in range and closed within one of McIlroy, who missed a six-foot birdie chance at the 15th and then spurned another opportunity to extend his advantage at the par-five 16th.
A sensational up and down from the rough by Spaun at the par-five 16th set up a tap-in birdie to pull level, as McIlroy two-putted the 17th before negotiating a tricky long-range two-putt at the last to set the clubhouse target.
Spaun saved par at the 17th and recovered from finding the pines off the final tee to leave himself a 30-foot putt for birdie, which finished agonisingly short of the hole, but left a kick-in par to close a level-par 71 and take the contest to extra holes.
McIlroy: I gave myself chances to win
McIlroy, the 2019 Players champion, speaking to Sky Sports: “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.
“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.
McIlroy reflects on a marathon Sunday at The Players
“There’s not many multiple Players champions. Scottie [Scheffler] has won the last two years… and I’ve spoken a lot about how much I admire Scottie – it would be nice to get two like him, and two like Tiger [Woods]. But I have to put that out of my head, play three good holes in the morning and hopefully that’s enough.”
Spaun, speaking to Sky Sports: “This amount of pressure is the most I’ve ever been under, 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.
McIlroy played alongside Spaun in the third round of The Players
“I definitely need some birdies [tomorrow]. He [Rory] is a great player and is going to be tough to beat… but this final stretch of 16, 17 and 18, anything can happen. I’m just happy to have a chance at it tomorrow.”
It will be a three-hole aggregate play-off, taking place across the par-five 16th, par-three 17th and par-four 18th, with sudden death then used if needed. This is the first play-off at The Players since Rickie Fowler’s win in 2015 and the first Monday finish since Cameron Smith’s 2022 success.
Who will win The Players? Watch the three-hole play-off between Rory McIlroy and JJ Spaun on Monday from 1pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
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