THE PLAYERS Championship heads to a playoff Monday morning as Rory McIlroy looks to win the event for the second time as he duels with J.J. Spaun. This is the first time THE PLAYERS Championship has gone to a playoff since 2015, when Rickie Fowler defeated Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner.
The playoff format is determined by the best aggregate score among holes 16, 17, and 18. Below, I provide my best golf picks for Monday’s playoff between McIlroy and Spaun.
The PLAYERS Championship playoff odds
Odds courtesy of FanDuel on 3-16-25.
The PLAYERS Championship playoff best bet
Best bet: Rory McIlroy moneyline (-165 at FanDuel)
Laying -165 on the favorite is certainly not the most exciting way to approach Monday’s playoff, but it is the most valuable. The pressure on these two golfers is vastly different.
A win for Rory McIlroy, relatively speaking, does little for his legacy or earnings. He is already established in both areas.
Meanwhile, a win for J.J. Spaun is a life-changing opportunity, given that his only win on TOUR came at the 2022 Valero Texas Open. One of these men will sleep much easier tonight than the other.
Furthermore, the unique playoff format of THE PLAYERS Championship favors McIlroy, since it is a three-hole aggregate score. There is no denying that McIlroy is the stronger golfer, and playing three holes instead of one reduces variance.
McIlroy has gained more strokes on the approach and the greens than Spaun this week, which will prove paramount on Monday morning. Additionally, McIlroy is -3 on holes 16-18 this week, while Spaun is -2.
