Rory McIlroy wins The Players Championship and $4.5 million in prize money after edging out JJ Spaun

Rory McIlroy earned much than conscionable bragging rights aft besting J.J. Spaun successful a three-hole playoff to win The Players Championship for the 2nd clip successful his vocation connected Monday. 

"By nary means did I person my champion worldly this week," McIlroy said. "But I was inactive capable to triumph 1 of the biggest tournaments successful the world. That's a immense thing."

Rory McIlroy earned much than conscionable bragging rights aft besting J.J. Spaun successful a three-hole playoff to win The Players Championship for the 2nd clip successful his career (Chris O'Meara/AP Photo)

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As inclement upwind rolled successful astatine the TPC Sawgrass successful Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, during the last circular connected Sunday, McIlroy was positioned 3 shots up of Spaun and looked premier to instrumentality location the golden trophy. 

But Spaun, a 34-year-old pro with 1 PGA Tour title, enactment up a fight, and the brace finished astatine 12-under 276, mounting up a tense three-hole playoff connected Monday. 

Spaun, a 34-year-old pro with 1 PGA Tour title, enactment up a fight, and the brace finished astatine 12-under 276, mounting up a tense three-hole playoff (Chris O'Meara/AP Photo)

RORY MCILROY TOOK COLLEGE GOLFER'S PHONE AFTER HECKLING MOMENT AT THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Tensions rapidly cooled connected the infamous 17th hole, which efficaciously ended Spaun’s pursuit of the rubric aft a triple bogey. 

Aside from becoming the archetypal European subordinate to triumph the Players much than once, McIlroy’s triumph secured him $4.5 cardinal of the $25 cardinal purse, 750 FedExCup points, and a much-needed boost of assurance earlier the Masters. 

McIlroy’s triumph secured him $4.5 cardinal of the $25 cardinal purse, 750 FedExCup points, and a much-needed boost of assurance earlier the Masters. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

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The Masters, held astatine Augusta National adjacent month, is the lone large rubric to evade McIlroy’s reach. However, Monday’s triumph marks the archetypal clip successful his vocation that he’s ever won 2 PGA Tour titles successful a twelvemonth successful the pb up to Augusta.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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