After more than a year defined mostly by his near-misses, Rory McIlroy slammed the door on J.J. Spaun in Monday's playoff at Sawgrass.

Rory McIlroy scored another great victory in his professional golf career by winning his second PLAYERS Championship title. The Northern Irishman convincingly defeated J.J. Spaun in a 3-hole playoff on a day of great significance to him and his countrymen,

He had more golf to play and Rory McIlroy was already reminded what his imminent victory couldn't be. J.J. Spaun had just airmailed his 8-iron through the gusts at the 17th—the ball sailing over the island green with devastating finality—a mistake that gifted McIlroy this Players Championship despite one hole remaining.