McIlroy takes drama out of playoff to win The Players Championship over Spaun

Turns out Rory McIlroy needed only three good swings to win The Players Championship on Monday in a playoff over J.J. Spaun.

McIlroy blasted his opening tee shot and hit a pitching wedge to the par-5 16th to set up birdie, and then he found the island green at the par-3 17th with a 9-iron into a cold, crackling wind that effectively gave him a second title at golf's richest event at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Spaun posed over his 8-iron until he heard the groans of the spectators lined up behind the 17th green. His ball cut through the wind and sailed clear over the green into the water, leading to triple bogey that ended his hopes.

"It was a great shot ... perfect if it was the right distance," he said. "I just couldn't believe it was long. Just not my luck of the gust."

McIlroy became the eighth multiple winner of The Players Championship, having also won in 2019. And it was the first time in his career that he won twice heading into the Masters. He won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last month.

The first three-hole playoff in 10 years at The Players was caused by a four-hour rain delay on Sunday. McIlroy had to make a four-foot par putt on the 72nd hole. Spaun had a 30-foot birdie putt for the win that stopped inches short.

McIlroy, disappointed and having lost a three-shot lead on the back nine, looked ahead to the playoff by saying, "Make five good swings tomorrow morning and get this thing done."

The 336-yard drive on the 16th. The pitching wedge to just inside 35 feet. The 9-iron that found dry land. That's all he needed to beat Spaun and claim the $4.5 million U.S. prize from the $25 million purse.

"Those three swings were basically what decided the championship," McIlroy said. "I feel for J.J. He's