J.J. Spaun showed resilience despite falling short in The Players Championship playoff against Rory McIlroy, with a costly triple bogey at the par-3 17th proving decisive.

After finishing tied with McIlroy in regulation play, Spaun remained positive about his performance despite the disappointing playoff outcome. The American explained his commitment to his shot selection at the infamous 17th hole, where finding the water led to a triple bogey.

"I was 100% committed to the club and shot shape. We had TrackMan numbers from the range showing 128 yards with the same wind direction. It was a perfect club," Spaun explained. "I hit it too good and it went through the wind. I almost told it to get up as it looked like it was floating."

The runner-up finish marks one of Spaun's best career results alongside his 2022 Valero Texas Open victory. His strong 2025 season already includes a third-place finish at the Sony Open and second place at the Cognizant Classic.

"It's hard to not feel discouraged, but there are nothing but positives in putting myself in contention and giving myself a chance to win in a playoff," said Spaun, who will move to approximately 25th in the World Rankings. "If someone told me that would happen to start the week, I would totally take it. I hope to learn from this and get it done next time."

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