McIlroy wins playoff for 2nd Players title

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland celebrated St. Patrick's Day by winning a three-hole aggregate playoff against JJ Spaun to capture his second title at The Players Championship on Monday morning at TPC Sawgrass.

McIlroy took a one-shot lead when he birdied the par-5 16th hole, and the task of protecting that advantage became much easier when Spaun hit his tee shot at the par-3 17th over the famed island green and into the water.

Spaun struggled his way to a triple-bogey 6 and dropped to 3-over, trailing by three after McIlroy made a three-putt bogey. Both players missed to the right of the fairway at the par-4 18th, and the tournament was all McIlroy's once Spaun's third shot narrowly missed the green.

McIlroy finished up with a bogey and won the playoff at 1-over. "I feel like I'm a way more complete player than I was a few years ago," McIlroy said. "Even in conditions like this. That little 9-iron into 17, the little 8-iron into the last there, I said to (caddie Harry Diamond) there, that little shot will take us a long way. I feel like I can play in all conditions and anything that comes my way. Really happy that I was able to get it done today."

McIlroy, 35, picked up the 28th victory of his PGA Tour career and his second of the year, following the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. His first Players Championship title came in 2019, and he is the eighth player to win the prestigious event multiple times. His 2019 victory also happened to occur on St. Patrick's Day. "It's been a good luck charm for me," McIlroy said.