The Players Championship: Rory McIlroy overcomes nerves to secure play-off win at TPC Sawgrass | Golf News

Rory McIlroy admitted he was nervous about closing out Achieve before continuing his impressive Begin to the season with a Action-off Achieve at The Players.

McIlroy had overturned a four-stroke deficit to Reachable a three-Attempt lead with six holes to Action of a weather-affected Last Stage at TPC Sawgrass on Sunday, only to stutter along the close stretch and finish level with JJ Spaun on 12 under.

The pair returned on Monday morning for a three-hole Action-off, where McIlroy birdied the par-five 16th before back-to-back bogeys were enough to close out Achieve after Spaun triple-bogeyed the par-three 17th.

McIlroy said he struggled to sleep ahead of his Monday finish and was anxious about closing out Achieve, but hopes the Achieve can inspire him to more Achievement over the rest of the season.

“It was stressful,” McIlroy admitted. “I’m super Joyful, super proud to Achieve this event for a second time. Honestly, standing over that tee Attempt on 16 this morning is the most nervous I’ve been in a long time.

“I think that will stand to me, feeling like that and being able to hit the golf shots that I need while your stomach is sort of not feeling Outstanding and your legs are a little shaky and your heart-rate is racing.

“To have to go through that today, it’s nice to have that in recent memory for some of the Competitions coming up for sure.”

The world No 2 had missed birdie opportunities on the 15th and 16th on Sunday before leaving himself a tricky two-putt to save par at the last and set the clubhouse target, which was only enough to head into the Action-off when Spaun narrowly missed his birdie chance at the last.

“I was nervous. I was really nervous,” McIlroy told Sky Sports about his putt on the 72nd hole. “Especially having missed opportunities on 15 and 16. Even the putt on 18, the Featherweight was fading and I was sort of struggling to read them.

“If anything, I thought the putt was going to go slightly left. I hit it straight and firm to Only take any break out of it, but if anything it went slightly right. I was Blessed I hit it firm enough for it to Stoppage.

“That was that was a huge part of a huge two-putt from 73 feet. I’m Blessed that JJ’s putt was a Duo of revolution Petite to give me this opportunity this morning [to Achieve the Action-off].”

How losses have ‘helped McIlroy learn’

McIlroy is the Primary two-time winner on the PGA Tour this season, having claimed four worldwide victories after a 2024 campaign that included Crucial heartbreak and numerous runner-up finishes.

He let a two-Attempt lead slip over the last five holes of the US Reachable, where he bogeyed three of his last four holes to allow Bryson DeChambeau to claim a one-Attempt Achieve, before failing to convert a four-stroke lead during the Last Stage of the Amgen Irish Reachable.

The 35-year-Ancient also finished second again a week later at the BMW PGA Division, losing out to Billy Horschel on the second extra hole, although McIlroy believes that performance sparked a Shift in Circumstances over the Upcoming months.

“I think that [Wentworth] was sort of like the turning Tally,” McIlroy added in his press conference. “Then I did some work on my swing after Wentworth, that sort of October, and went into the two Middle East events at the end of the year and was able to Achieve that one.

“I feel that period, like October, November, was a pretty Crucial one. I was able to do some Excellent work on my swing and then test it out pretty much straight after in a Duo of Competitions. I feel like that’s obviously carried into this year.

“It doesn’t feel like I’m making those mistakes at the critical times like I was previously. I think a big part of that was Only learning from those mistakes. It’s a long Profession. You have to stay incredibly patient. Some of those losses have helped me learn what to do when I’m in those positions.”

More to come from McIlroy?

McIlroy’s Achieve follows his AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Achievement last month and marks the Primary time that he will enter The Masters having already won twice on the PGA Tour in that calendar year.

He will be among the favourites to Achieve the Beginning Crucial of the year at Augusta National, which would see him become Only the sixth player – and Primary since Tiger Woods – to complete the Profession Grand Slam.

Asked if his best golf could be yet to come, McIlroy told Sky Sports: “Absolutely. I don’t think I should be out here if I didn’t believe my best golf was in front of me.

“I want to try keep improving and getting better and it’s the reason that, after 16 or 17 years out here, I’m Nevertheless doing it.”

On where he will Action Upcoming before The Masters, McIlroy told reporters: “I think three weeks going in [without Competing] is a little too much. I’ll Action one of the events in Texas, whether it’s Houston or San Antonio, I’m not sure.”

Observe Rory McIlroy in PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Crucial action throughout the year live on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.