00:00Rory McIlroy woke up early on Monday morning, his stomach already churning with nerves.
00:08It was 3am and with just three holes remaining between him and a second players championship,
00:14he couldn't shake the feeling that the victory should already be his.
00:18With world number 57 JJ Spawn standing between him and the coveted title, McIlroy knew the
00:24challenge was far from over.
00:28However, as the morning unfolded, McIlroy managed to steady his nerves while Spawn faltered,
00:33his hopes slipping away after overshooting the iconic Island Green at the 17th hole during
00:39the play-off.
00:40McIlroy's victory though, not achieved with his very best golf, sets him up perfectly
00:46for his next challenge, completing the career Grand Slam at the Masters next month.
00:53While his driver was off throughout the tournament, McIlroy demonstrated resilience, coming from
00:58four shots behind on the final day to lead by three, only to be caught by Spawn and forced
01:04into the play-off.
01:06The victory is a significant one though, with McIlroy proving that even when he's not at
01:11his best, he can still claim the game's biggest prizes.
01:14Spawn, who had been on the brink of an upset, saw his hopes dashed with a triple bogey at
01:33the 17th.
01:34Despite the disappointment, his runner-up finish marked the biggest paycheck of his
01:39career so far, and his positive outlook for the rest of the season remains strong.
01:58McIlroy no doubt one of the greatest golfers of this generation, currently world number
02:04two, but the golf world stands still and hopes in anticipation he can get over the
02:09line at another major championship and end his ten-year wait.
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