J.J. Spaun would not have been at all surprised to see the fans at TPC Sawgrass supporting Rory McIlroy in the playoff at the Players Championship, as the 35-year-old went on to win the title for the second time in his career.
Ultimately, the playoff was anticlimactic, with Rory McIlroy seizing the initiative from the very first tee shot on the 16th hole. And unfortunately for J.J. Spaun, he was simply unable to keep up with the Northern Irishman once he had the advantage.
McIlroy made hard work of winning the event. He had led by three shots at one stage down the back nine on Sunday. However, he very nearly missed out on even making the playoff, with Spaun leaving a birdie putt to win agonisingly short on the 72nd hole.
But McIlroy has now proved that he has added another level to his game. It was not the most polished performance of McIlroy’s career by any means, but he found a way to win while not at his best – and that should be what alarms some of his rivals.
Xander Schauffele explains why he did not want Rory McIlroy to win the Players Championship
Of course, over the first two days, the four-time major champion was playing alongside two of those rivals, having been paired in the same group as Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.
Scheffler had an underwhelming week, while Schauffele finished last of those who made the cut. And it seems that the disappointment did not stop on Sunday, with the world number three explaining how he wanted Spaun to get the victory with the pair both previously representing San Diego.
“Yeah, I was pulling hard for J.J. I knew it was going to be tough. I thought he may have had an advantage if they played that night on Sunday, he was playing really nice,” he said.
“It’s always hard to come back out the next morning. I’m sure there was a lot of – based on what I heard around the course, a lot of people weren’t pulling for him, but the Aztecs always pull for each other. And he’s always been impressive to me. I think it’s just a matter of time before he gets comfortable. And I heard he’s talked about his family and he’s got two little kids now and his wife Melody is great, so I think it’s changed his perspective and he’s kind of being a little bit kinder to himself on the property.”
Schauffele shares why he has been so impressed by J.J. Spaun after the Players Championship
Spaun is enjoying a phenomenal start to the year, with the 34-year-old now up to 25th in the world rankings and fifth in the FedEx Cup standings.
He also finished second at the Cognizant Classic and third at the Sony Open. So it really feels as if that second PGA Tour win is just around the corner.
And speaking ahead of the Valspar Championship, Schauffele explained what has particularly impressed him about Spaun’s game.
“Just solid through and through. I think his putter’s sort of the trigger club in his bag that allows him to go super low or not. He’s always hit it really well, he’s got such a simple swing,” he added.
“Yeah, I think he’s just switched the putter up a little bit and he’s starting to putt really nice, and there he was almost winning one of the biggest events we got.”
Spaun will be frustrated with his performance in the playoff on Monday. But as the dust settles, he can take so many positives from the fact that he came within a whisker of winning the biggest event on the PGA Tour ahead of the player who is perhaps the best on the planet right now.
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