Northern Eire’s Rory McIlroy cruised to a St. Patrick’s Day victory on the Gamers Championship on Monday, defeating J.J. Spaun in a playoff at TPC Sawgrass in Florida. The four-time main champion accomplished the three-hole shoot-out in a single over par, whereas Spaun’s problem wilted after a disastrous triple-bogey on the second playoff gap. “That is the third time I’ve gained on St. Patrick’s Day, so it has been an excellent luck attraction for me,” McIlroy mentioned after sealing the second Gamers Championship of his profession and twenty eighth PGA Tour title general. “I used to be fortunate sufficient to do sufficient to get it carried out, however unbelievably proud and blissful to win my second Gamers … It is very nice,” McIlroy added.
“I went residence final night time considering ‘I ought to have had this.’ However I went residence and reset, did not have an important night time’s sleep, however was fortunate sufficient to get it carried out.”
McIlroy had completed tied on the prime of the leaderboard with Spaun following Sunday’s storm-hit last spherical after failing to carry on to a three-shot lead with 5 holes to play.
However after returning to the course on Monday in vibrant, breezy circumstances, there was no signal of a repeat of the late stumble by McIlroy on Sunday that had allowed Spaun to drive his means into the primary playoff of his profession.
McIlroy struck first on the opening playoff gap, the par-five sixteenth, crushing a 336-yard drive straight down the golf green earlier than reaching the inexperienced in two.
Spaun in the meantime appeared out of types from the get-go, discovering the golf green tough off the tee earlier than touchdown his second shot into the greenside bunker.
McIlroy didn’t make his 33-foot eagle putt however calmly rolled in an ungainly five-footer for birdie.
‘Extra full participant’
Spaun, whose restoration out of the bunker left him with a protracted, unsuccessful birdie putt, may solely par.
After that early wobble, issues bought worse for Spaun on the par-three seventeenth island gap, with the American plunging his tee-shot into the water behind the inexperienced.
Spaun then missed a protracted 10-foot putt for double bogey and ultimately completed with a triple-bogey six.
Whereas McIlroy missed his birdie probability and a 10-footer to avoid wasting par, his bogey 4 nonetheless left him three photographs clear heading to the 18th.
McIlroy’s tee-shot on the final went nicely broad of the appropriate fairway, however Spaun was unable to exert stress, additionally going broad of the golf green.
Each gamers reached the inexperienced in three and missed their par putts. McIlroy coolly tapped in for bogey to seal victory.
McIlroy’s win marked the second title of the season for the Northern Irishman as he construct in direction of the Masters in Augusta subsequent month — the one main lacking from his assortment.
McIlroy mentioned his early season type was a reward for the laborious work he has put in through the years.
“I’ve labored actually laborious — I really feel like I am a far more full participant than I used to be just a few years in the past,” McIlroy informed NBC. “I really feel like I can play in all circumstances and something that comes my means. Actually blissful that I used to be capable of get it carried out right now.”
Spaun in the meantime was left reflecting on a disappointing consequence.
“It is laborious to not really feel discouraged a little bit bit, however nothing however positives,” Spaun mentioned. “Placing myself in rivalry and giving myself an opportunity to win in a playoff — if somebody had informed me that may occur in the beginning of the week I might completely have taken it.
“Hopefully I can simply be taught from this and get it carried out subsequent time.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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