PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Rory McIlroy constructed a three-shot lead on the again 9 at The Gamers Championship and unheralded J.J. Spaun did not blink. They wound up tied after a four-hour rain delay and needed to return Monday for a playoff to resolve who wins the richest event in golf.
McIlroy wanted two putts from 75 toes on the par-4 18th for a 4-under 68. All he may do was wait within the scoring space on Spaun, who had caught up with a wonderful chip on the par-5 sixteenth and stood over a 30-foot putt for the win.
It stopped inches quick, giving Spaun a 72 to match McIlroy at 12-under 276.
“I really feel like I had an opportunity to go dwelling with the trophy tonight, however I will get a great night time’s sleep and reset and attempt to win it tomorrow,” McIlroy stated. “I am glad to be within the place that I’m, but in addition I really feel like I had probabilities there on the again 9 to shut the door, and I did not fairly try this.”
They did nicely to complete in regulation earlier than sundown. The Gamers has a three-hole mixture playoff on essentially the most dynamic holes on the TPC Sawgrass — the par-5 sixteenth, the island inexperienced on the par-3 seventeenth and the daunting par-4 closing gap.
It will likely be the primary Monday end since Cameron Smith received in 2022 and the primary playoff at The Gamers since Rickie Fowler received 10 years in the past.
“I would wish to suppose that I can fall again on my expertise and perhaps have a bit bit greater than J.J., however then on the similar time, tomorrow is all nearly execution and getting up there and, as I stated, making 5 good swings,” McIlroy stated.
Tom Hoge needed to wait out the four-hole delay with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th. He returned and missed, posting a 66 and wound up two pictures behind. Lucas Glover rallied from a tough entrance 9 for a 71 and joined Hoge and Akshay Bhatia (70).
Bud Cauley, whose thought his profession was over from crushing accidents in a 2018 automotive crash in Ohio, fell again early and steadied himself for a 74. He tied for sixth, giving him greater than sufficient factors to satisfy his medical exemption for the remainder of the 12 months.
ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti and The Related Press contributed to this report.
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