Rory McIlroy reveals what PGA Tour players all were saying about TPC Sawgrass in the locker room during the break on the final day of The Players

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Rory McIlroy continued his fine start to 2025 by winning the Players Championship as he beat J.J. Spaun in a playoff on Monday at TPC Sawgrass.

Rory McIlroy continues to look like the best player on the PGA Tour right now, with the Northern Irishman following his victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am by winning the Players Championship for a second time in his career.

It was a fantastic week for the PGA Tour. J.J. Spaun pushed McIlroy all the way – even coming agonisingly close to winning the entire thing on his 72nd hole. Meanwhile, Akshay Bhatia was hugely impressive as he finished tied for second, while Bud Cauley‘s tied sixth finish could help change the trajectory of his career.

It was certainly a reminder of why the Players is considered the flagship event on tour.

Rory McIlroy shares what the PGA Tour stars were saying about TPC Sawgrass during the rain delay at the Players Championship

For viewers, it definitely helped to have the biggest star on the PGA Tour – other than Tiger Woods – emerge victorious, particularly with the Masters just around the corner.

However, it seems that the players hold the event in a similar affection. Speaking after his victory, McIlroy shared what was being said about the tournament behind the scenes during the long rain delay on Sunday.

“Yeah, I don’t think it took me winning this championship to realize how big it was. I think it was more that we come back to TPC Sawgrass each and every year, and I just feel like the experience gets better and better from a player’s perspective, from a fan’s perspective, what the tour do with this whole setup, with the golf course, everything,” he said.

“It’s amazing, during that four-hour rain delay or storm delay yesterday, there was a few of us in the locker room chatting, and we were all sort of consensus was it’s probably the best experience for a player of any golf tournament in the world. It’s absolutely amazing. Very proud to win for a second time. Yeah, looking forward to keep coming back for many more years.”

Lee Trevino backed the Players Championship to become the fifth major

In truth, it is hard to see the Players being added as a fifth major. It would lead to a somewhat messy debate regarding how much all of the previous events actually mean. Jack Nicklaus would have an argument to be on 21 majors, which is slightly controversial given that he would have been unaware that he was playing for a major at the time.

However, some definitely want to see the Players elevated to that level. Speaking to Golf Channel on Thursday, Lee Trevino suggested that it has the prestige to be a major.

“This is gorgeous, this is unbelievable what’s happened here. I mean, I’m in awe. I came back here to play in the early 90s, mid 90s maybe, and we had an NFL tournament here with the senior – that was the last time. David Feherty and I came also one year to do a Q&A in the clubhouse, but other than that, I’ve not been back here. But I want to tell you something, we weren’t all for this in the beginning. When we first looked at this and they were talking about building it, there was a little thing going on about how we don’t need this thing, what the hell do we need this thing for. I’m going to tell you something, what Deane Beman and his crew did here and what they’ve done is just unbelievable,” he said.

“The question has always been around and people have been talking: should this be the fifth major? Yes – and there’s no question in my mind about it. The field, the golf course, look at it, 100,000 people. Why not? It’s unbelievable.”

Not everyone will agree. But, judging by McIlroy’s comments, it seems that many of those on tour would be open to the idea of Sawgrass becoming the site of the fifth major.