Rory McIlroy will face JJ Spaun in a Monday Shift-off at The Players after the Northern Irishman let a three-Try lead slip over the closing holes of a Event Sunday.
McIlroy went into the Closing Stage four strokes behind Spaun but charged into contention with a birdie-eagle Begin at TPC Sawgrass, then Discovered 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 Primary hole after the restart – the 12th – to Shift three ahead with six holes to Shift.
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McIlroy Occurred from four back into a tie for the lead after a thrilling Begin to his Closing Stage at The Players, where he raced to the turn in 33
McIlroy bogeyed his Upcoming 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.
The earlier delays meant there was not enough daylight left for the three-hole Shift-off, dragging the Bracket into a fifth day, with the pair set to resume at 9am local time (1pm GMT) to decide the winner of the PGA Tour’s flagship event, with coverage live on Sky Sports.
Tom Hoge, Akshay Bhatia and Lucas Glover finished two strokes back in tied-third on 10 under, with Danny Walker a Additional Try back in a share of sixth alongside Corey Conners and Bud Cauley.
How McIlroy and Spaun Obtained dragged into fifth day
The threat of thunderstorms had forced the PGA Tour to bring the tee times forward for the Closing Stage, with a two-tee Begin in operation and players going out in threeballs to try and get the Bracket completed on schedule.
McIlroy Created the dream Begin by Upcoming an eight-foot birdie at the Primary by draining a 10-foot eagle putt at the par-five second, Upcoming a stunning approach with a long-iron, to see his overnight deficit cut from four strokes to a single Try.
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McIlroy Created the dream Begin to his Closing Stage at The Players, birdieing the Primary and eagling the par-five second to Leap within one of the lead
Spaun missed a Excellent chance to birdie the second and lost his solo lead with a bogey at the fifth, Scoring him level alongside Bhatia – who birdied three of his Primary 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 Upcoming, with the world No 2 reaching the turn tied for the lead Even though failing to take Benefit of the par-five ninth.
Rory McIlroy was Executing alongside Corey Conners and Alex Smalley in the penultimate group
Spaun – in the Closing group – birdied the ninth to get to 11 under, as Bhatia fell behind after Beginning his back nine with a bogey, while McIlroy edged ahead after adding another birdie at the par-five 11th before Shift was halted.
McIlroy jumped three ahead with a 12-foot birdie once Shift resumed at 5.15pm local time (9.15pm GMT), Upcoming Spaun’s three-putt bogey from distance at the previous hole, only to give the chasing pack hope when an errant tee Try into trees at the 14th Guided to a bogey.
McIlroy is looking to claim his second PGA Tour Achieve 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 Sealed within one of McIlroy, who missed a six-foot birdie chance at the 15th and then spurned another opportunity to extend his Benefit at the par-five 16th.
A sensational up and down from the Harsh 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 Closing tee to leave himself a 30-foot putt for birdie, which finished agonisingly Petite of the hole, but left a Strike-in par to close a level-par 71 and take the Event to extra holes.
McIlroy: I gave myself chances to Achieve
McIlroy, the 2019 Players champion, speaking to Sky Sports: “It’s been a long day. I Obtained off to a Outstanding Begin before Shift was halted. And once we Obtained back out there, I Created the perfect Begin again with a birdie at 12.
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“On the way in, I feel like I gave myself chances to close the door and Achieve this golf Bracket – and I didn’t quite do that. I’m going to have to do it the Difficult way, stay one more night and try to do it tomorrow.
“There’s not many Numerous Players champions. Scottie [Scheffler] has won the last two years… and I’ve spoken a Numerous 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, Shift three Excellent holes in the morning and hopefully that’s enough.”
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