The Players Championship 2025: Playoff format, time, holes and players
The final at TPC Sawgrass will be decided Monday morning to see who wins the $4.5 million dollar payout. Let’s take a look at the format, players and other playoff details.
After 72 holes at The Players Championship two players will go face-to-face in a three-hole shootout to see who the 2025 winner is.
| Hole | Rory McIlroy | J.J. Spaun |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 4 | 5 |
| 17 | 4 | 6 |
| 18 |
After two holes Rory is 3-up after Spaun’s triple bogey after finding the water at No. 17.
The Players Championship playoff participants
Rory McIlroy looks to join a select group of golfers who have multiple wins at The Players Championship. The Irishman would love to get the win on St. Patrick’s Day and prove to golf fans all over the world that he has what it takes to win in a clutch situation. After last year’s debacle at the US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 and countless other mishaps coming down the stretch at big tournaments, McIlroy needs this win to get the monkey off his back and go into the Masters at Augusta with confidence in his game.
J. J. Spaun, a relatively unknown 34-year-old American golfer wants that anonymity to change. He has played excellent golf over the last four days and has what it takes to win. The pressure is on Rory, but Spaun knows that a win at TPC Sawgrass would be life changing. First place gets $4.5 million and for Spaun he would secure PGA Tour status with a five-year exemption.
The second place prize is $2.725 million and would be a nice award for the second-place winner, but both of these guys already have that guaranteed so it should be an entertaining 3-hole battle.
The Players Championship playoff format
Spaun and McIlroy will play three holes: 16, 17 and 18. The lowest total score after three holes wins the tournament. It’s that easy and that complicated. Strategy will come into play for the golfer hitting second, depending on what the first to hit does. The player with honors of course will want to put pressure on his opponent. These are three of the most beautiful and difficult holes in golf and the whole playoff could be over after 16 or 17 if one of the players finds the water.
The Players Championship playoff history
This is the sixth time the tournament has had to be decided by a playoff:
2015: Rickie Fowler defeated Kevin Kisner and Sergio Garcia
2011: K.J. Choi defeated David Toms
2008: Sergio Garcia defeated Paul Goydos
1987: Sandy Lyle defeated Jeff Sluman
1981: Raymond Floyd defeated Barry Jaeckel and Curtis Strange
Time and how to watch
Coverage will begin at 9 a.m. Monday morning. Fans can follow the action on Golf Channel or Peacock.
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