The climactic end to The PLAYERS Championship unfolded on a Monday, with Rory McIlroy securing his 28th PGA Tour victory. He edged out JJ Spaun in a tense three-hole aggregate playoff, largely due to a disastrous 17th hole. The fateful tee shot on the par-three hole by Spaun took a disastrous flight over the green, ending its journey in the water. McIlroy, on the other hand, strategically played the final two holes conservatively, thus locking in his victory.
In the aftermath of The PLAYERS, Spaun had his first opportunity to watch his shot during a press conference. His reaction was one of utter shock. “I was stunned,” he admitted, stunned by the sight of his tee shot on the 17th hole plummeting into the water.
“Can I just watch it? I haven’t seen it,” he asked, pointing to the replay of The PLAYERS. His disbelief was palpable, even managing to laugh at the absurdity of it. “I mean look how high it is! It’s floating! I can’t…” he laughed, still unable to fully process the shot. “I almost wanted to say ‘get up’ because it just looked like it was going to be short.”
His astonishment didn’t stop there. “I was stunned. I couldn’t believe it was long. And yeah…I’m happy with the swing I put on it. I am. The wind must have just laid down a little too much and just went through the wind.”
The shock of his tee shot overshooting the green was shared by many. In his post-round interview, McIlroy disclosed that the wind conditions on that Monday morning were unlike any they had experienced during The PLAYERS. This detail certainly impacted Spaun, who saw McIlroy upgrade to a nine iron just before executing his own shot.
By the time Spaun’s ball took its watery plunge, McIlroy’s ball was safely on the green. The sinking of Spaun’s ball marked the end of his chances of winning The PLAYERS. He was left with a triple bogey on the hole and a three-shot deficit.
However, it wasn’t all gloom for Spaun. His performance at The PLAYERS earned him $2.725 million, bolstering his bank account and his standing in the Ryder Cup. The American team, currently lacking depth, could benefit from the inclusion of an elite iron player like Spaun in their ranks. Fortunately, the Bethpage course doesn’t feature any island greens like those at The PLAYERS.