The Gamers Championship LIVE: Rory McIlroy faces JJ Spaun in dramatic three-hole play-off

It’s on to the enduring seventeenth gap – one of the well-known holes in world golf. The par three with the island inexperienced. A watery grave on all sides for those who err.

McIlroy has the honour – no want for heroics with the one-shot lead. He clips his iron safely in the direction of the again of the inexperienced, beautiful tee shot. Most likely 20 ft or so away.

All of the strain now on Spaun. Dialogue together with his caddy. He’s bought to take this flag on actually… 8 iron in hand, and OH NO! Catastrophe for Spaun. His ball flies over the again of the inexperienced and lands within the water. It by no means touched dry land. That, you concern, may very well be that for the American.

After first of three play-off holes:

Spaun takes his birdie putt first, from round 20 ft. Up the hill and he doesn’t hit it. Three ft brief – barely cautious.

Likelihood for McIlroy to take a lead on the primary gap on this matchplay situation. Six ft or so, perhaps. And McIIroy makes it! Birdie on the primary gap of this play-off for the favorite – calmly rolled in.

Spaun tidies up his par however he now trails by a stroke.

After first of three play-off holes:

Spaun splashes out of the greenside bunker but it surely doesn’t launch and roll all the way down to the outlet as meant. It’s okay however nothing extra. Outdoors probability of a birdie

McIlroy is about 35 ft away and set his eagle putt trundling in the direction of the outlet. He desires it to swing left to proper but it surely doesn’t flip and races previous the outlet. That’s not a terrific putt – work to do for the birdie

Spaun enjoying first and out of the proper tough, he pushes it. His coronary heart may have been in his mouth because it regarded headed in the direction of the water down the proper however bounces on dry land and lurches ahead into the bunker. That might be a little bit of a aid for the underdog.

In the meantime, after a mega drive, McIlroy is just left with 180 yards into the inexperienced – that’s only a flick of the 9 iron for the Northern Irishman. Respectable sufficient shot, safely into the center of the inexperienced and he’ll have a long-range have a look at an eagle. He’s chewed up a 540-yard par 5 with a drive and a 9 iron – very spectacular.

Very a lot benefit McIlroy

McIlroy picks the motive force out of his bag for this opening drive. The sixteenth is a par 5 and McIlroy is making an attempt to eat up as a lot of the space on the outlet with one shot.

Flushes it down the center of the golf green. A marker laid all the way down to JJ Spaun.

Spaun additionally taking driver and his drive bounces on the brief stuff however takes a few bounces into the tough. He’s properly again of McIlroy – benefit to the Northern Irishman

OK, we’re not far-off from the McIlroy vs Spaun showdown getting underway. It’s an excellent morning at Sawgrass and this ought to be a number of enjoyable.

They’re milling about on the sixteenth tee as we communicate. Keep in mind, they’ll play the sixteenth, seventeenth and 18th and the participant with the bottom mixture rating from these holes will win.

Rory McIlroy – because the participant who completed his ultimate spherical first – may have the honour and tee off first on 16.

For those who’re on the lookout for good omens for McIlroy this afternoon, then his solely earlier Gamers Championship title – received again in 2019 – additionally got here on St Patrick’s Day.

An exciting ultimate spherical at Sawgrass noticed McIlroy get better from an early double bogey to card a closing 70 and end on 16-under, one stroke forward of Jim Furyk, who missed out on changing into the oldest winner in match historical past.

Birdies at 15 and 16, earlier than safely negotiating the difficult seventeenth and 18th have been sufficient for the Northern Irishman to pip Furyk’s clubhouse goal and he admitted that profitable ‘golf’s fifth main’ was an enormous second for him.

McIlroy stated: “It’s very particular. I simply tried to deal with it like another day. Despite the fact that I’ve had all these shut calls this yr, they didn’t imply something. If something they have been good for me, I known as them ‘distant misses’, it offers you much more hope to go ahead and go once more. I feel all these experiences this yr led me so far and in the end they have been good for me as a result of it bought me over the road right now.”

McIlroy bought off to an excellent begin on the Championship, carding seven birdies and two bogeys at Sawgrass to finish the opening day only a shot behind joint leaders Lucas Glover, JJ Spaun and Camilo Villegas.

However the day was largely notable for the Irishman’s response – or lack of response – to a heckler throughout a observe spherical earlier within the week.

The ultimate, additional day of motion at TPC Sawgrass takes place right now, dwell on Sky Sports activities.

The play-off will get underway at 1pm UK time (9am native time).