Rory McIlroy must come back on Monday for Players Championship play-off
McIlroy was caught at the top of the leaderboard by JJ Spaun in a weather-disrupted final round in Florida.
Rory McIlroy and JJ Spaun will contest a play-off for the Players Championship after both finished a weather-disrupted fourth round at TPC Sawgrass on 12 under par.
Following a four-hour weather delay, McIlroy established a three-shot lead on the 12th but then bogeyed the 14th and found himself all square with Spaun as the American birdied that hole and the 16th, and almost won it on the 18th.
The pair will now take part in a three-hole play-off set to get under way at 1pm UK time on Monday as world number two McIlroy looks to clinch a second title to add to his 2019 success.
The Northern Irishman began the final round four shots behind overnight frontrunner Spaun at eight under but a brilliant start helped take him to the top of the leaderboard.
McIlroy followed a birdie on the first with an eagle from 10 feet on the par-five second after a superb long-iron approach from 230 yards.
He also responded to a bogey on the seventh with a birdie on the eighth and another birdie on the par-five 11th took him to 12 under, a shot ahead of Spaun, before play was suspended due to the threat of lightning.
When play resumed, McIlroy rolled in a birdie on the 12th to extend his lead to three shots.
But he then went wide off the tee at the par-four 14th and carded a bogey.
That allowed Spaun to rally back on the same hole with a birdie to draw him within one of McIlroy, who then missed a six-foot birdie at the 15th.
Spaun kept the pressure on with a two-putt par, and McIlroy then missed another birdie opportunity at the next hole.
A second birdie in three holes for Spaun saw him striding toward the 17th level with McIlroy.
And it remained that way as both players registered pars for the final two holes, with Spaun going close to clinching victory on the 18th as his birdie putt stopped just inches short.
