Rory McIlroy has revealed how he defied his nerves and several recent near misses to clinch the Players Championship.
The Northern Irish star sealed the title for a second time after overcoming J.J. Spaun in a tense playoff that spilled over into Monday morning. McIlroy transformed a four-shot deficit into a three-stroke lead during a dramatic final round on Sunday.
Rory McIlroy was honest about the nerves he had as he clinched the Players Championship on Monday (Image: PGA Tour)
However, harsh weather conditions then forced a four-hour delay where he stuttered along the closing stretch to finish on 12 under alongside Spaun. A lack of light then forced the competition into a fifth day, leaving the two players to return for a three-hole playoff, where Mcllroy showed his steel and resilience as he cruised to victory and the top prize of $4.5 million.
The win was his 28th on the PGA Tour and second of 2025, yet he confessed to having a major bout of the jitters as he edged to the title. “Standing over that tee shot on 16 this morning is the most nervous I’ve been in a long time,” said McIlroy.
“So feeling like that and being able to hit the shots that I needed, while your stomach is sort of not feeling great and your legs are a little shaky and your heart rate is racing…
“To have to go through that, it’s nice to have that in recent memory for some of the tournaments coming up.”
McIlroy showed his steel to clinch the title ( Image: Getty Images)
Mcllroy extended his major championship drought to 10 years in 2024. His opponent on Monday, Spaun, has been vocal about having suffered his own heartbreaking moments in the game, and Mcllroy was later asked if he resonated with his words.
“Absolutely. I think we’ve all had periods where we’ve felt like that,” he said. “I’ve had to go through it. I’ve had my heart broken a lot over the last few years when I’ve had chances on Sundays and it hasn’t quite materialized.
“But we all have to go through it, or at least all of us not named Tiger Woods. It’s a part of the process, it’s a part of the learning journey, and ultimately those are the days that make us better.”
J.J. Spaun was beat in the playoff by McIlroy ( Image: Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Mcllroy also touched on another element when it came to his battle with anxiety on the fairway – the magnitude of the Players Championship.
“Back in 2019 [when he won his first Players], I maybe didn’t appreciate how big this tournament was and how much it meant,” he said.
“Every time we come back to this tournament, it gets bigger and better each and every year, from the course to the facilities for the players, to the facilities for the fans.
“I don’t want to put any sort of label on it but it is one of the biggest championships in the world. That was part of the reason.”
McIlroy’s victory earned him $4.5 million ( Image: Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
All eyes will now be on Mcllroy ahead of the Masters. The four-time major winner has never tasted victory in Augusta before, having finished runner-up in 2022.
However, he has never before graced the first major of the year with two victories already in the bag. “I feel like I’m a better player now than I ever have been,” he said on Monday.
The 35-year-old will now be hoping he can deliver on those words as he aims for Augusta on April 10.
