Player Championship: Rory McIlroy prevails nerves to secure a play-off win in TPC Sawgrass | Golf news
Rory McIlroy admitted that he was nervous about closing his victory before continuing his impressive start to the play-off season with a players win.
McIlroy extinguished a four-stroke deficit to open a three-shot lead with six hole for the final circle affected by the weather at TPC Sawgrass on Sunday, only to stutter along close stretch and end the level with JJ Spaun to 12 below.
The couple returned on Monday morning due to three hole play-offs, where McIlroy Bird Parta 16. Before the return gods were sufficient to close the victory after Spaun threefold swallowed the par-trt-three.
McIlroy said he fought for sleep on the eve of his Monday and is worried about closing his victory, but hopes that victory will encourage him to success during the rest of the season.
“It was stressful,” McIlroy admitted. “I’m super happy, super proud to have won this event for the second time. Honestly, standing over that teenager this morning is the worst is the worst.
“I think it will stand for me, feel that way and be able to hit the golf recording I need, while your stomach somehow feels great and your legs are a bit trembling and your heart rate is a race.
“To have this today, it’s nice to have it in a recent memory for some of the tournaments certainly.”
World no. 2 He missed Piric’s options 15 and 16. On Sunday, before leaving a ticklish two-punt to save the couple in the last and place a target at the club house, which was enough to just go to the play-off when Spaun missed his chance for a bird.
“I was nervous. I was really nervous,” McIlroy said Heavenly sports about his Putt on 72 hole. “Especially when I missed the possibilities of the 15th and 16th. Even Putt at 18, the light faded and somehow struggled to read them.
“If nothing else, I thought the Putt would go a little left. I hit him straight and firmly to take any vacation out of him, but if nothing else, I was a little fine. I was fortunate to hit him firmly enough to hold him.
“It was a huge part of a huge two-half with 73 feet. I’m happy that JJ’s Putt was a few revolutions short to give me this opportunity this morning [to win the play-off]. “
As losses ‘helped mcilroy to learn’
McIlroy is the first double winner of the PGA Tour this season, after requesting four worldwide victories after the 2024 campaign, which included the main hearts and numerous finishes.
He released his lead with two goals to run in the last five holes of the US Open, where he scored three of the last four holes to allow Bryson Dechambeau to ask for a single shot before he failed to turn a four-stroke lead during the last round of Amgen Irish Open.
The 35-year-old also finished second a week later at the BMW PGA Championship, losing to Billy Horschel in the second additional hole, although McIlroy believes that performance has encouraged a change in wealth in the coming months.
“I think that [Wentworth] He was somehow like a turning point, “McIlroy added at his press conference.” Then I did a job on my momentum after Wentworth, of that kind of October, and entered two events in the Middle East at the end of the year and managed to win it.
“I feel that this period, like October, November, was quite important. I managed to do a good job on the momentum and then test it quite immediately after a few tournaments. I feel that it is obviously transmitted this year.
“I don’t seem to make these mistakes in critical times as I have been before. I think he has just taught a large part of it in these mistakes. She is a long career. You have to remain incredibly patient. Some of these losses have helped me learn what to do when I am in those positions.”
More comes from McIlroy?
McIlroy’s victory is followed by his AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM success last month and marks the first time that he will enter the masters after winning a PGA tour twice in that calendar year.
He will be among the favorites to win in the introductory major in Augusta National, which will make him only sixth player – and first from Tiger Woods – to finish Grand Slam in his career.
Asked if his best golf is yet to come, mcilroy Sky Sports said: “Absolutely. I don’t think I should be here if I didn’t believe my best golf was ahead of me.
“I want to try to continue to improve and improve myself and that is the reason that, after 16 or 17 years, I still do it.”
About where he will play next before Masters, McIlroy told reporters: “I think they are entering three weeks [without playing] is a little too much. I will play one of the events in Texas, whether it is Houston or San Antony, I’m not sure. “
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