Bud Cauley was on the verge of greatness on Sunday morning. He entered the final 18 holes at The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. in second place

Yet both players won on a day when no winner was decided, with Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun headed to a three-hole playoff Monday morning. Neither Danny Walker nor Bud Cauley was supposed to be in the field this week.

Spaun will have to break an ominous run of players who held a solo, one-shot lead through 54 holes at this championship.

The forecast was for more wind and enough rain that the PGA Tour moved up the tee times to send players off in threesomes from both sides Sunday morning. J.J. Spaun leads the tourney by a stroke.

J.J. Spaun in a Monday playoff at the 2025 Players Championship. Tournament officials started the final round Sunday early in hopes of avoiding a predicted storm. That did not happen, as there was a four-hour weather delay at around the mid-point of the final groups final round.

The 51st edition of The Players Championship will (hopefully) conclude Sunday on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. With thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, TV and tee times have been moved up.