Rory McIlroy needed an extra hour and three additional holes to confirm his spot in the winner's circle at the 2025 Players Championship when he won an aggregate playoff over J.J. Spaun in a three-hole aggregate playoff in chilly and windy conditions Monday morning at TPC Sawgrass.

On Sunday, Rory McIlroy had to come from behind to get himself into a playoff at The Players Championship. On Monday, he won the playoff with relative ease over J.J. Spaun to win golf's so-called fifth major.

It was last Tuesday when a University of Texas golfer watched McIlroy hook his tee shot into the water on the 18th during a practice round and told him it was just like the shot M