Rory McIlroy’s cheeky jibe at JJ Spaun was deemed “too soon” after he overcame the American golfer ahead of his Masters victory in 2025. McIlroy stands on the brink of further glory as he jointly leads at Augusta National heading into Sunday’s final round.
Prior to claiming the Masters title 12 months ago, the Northern Irishman defeated Spaun in a three-hole aggregate play-off at the Players Championship last year, finding the green on the 17th while the 35-year-old overshot and found the water. Just weeks later, Spaun found himself in another play-off at the Masters Par-3 contest, and McIlroy was swift to remind him of his costly error at TPC Sawgrass.
Speaking on GOLF’s Subpar podcast at the time, the American revealed how Rory’s remarks at the traditionally jovial event cut him to the quick.
He said: “[Rory’s] like, ‘Are you doing a play-off for the Par-3 Contest?'” I’m like, yeah, I guess. And he’s like, ‘Better get the club right this time.’ That hurt, that hit me deep. Shane Lowry was there, he’s like, ‘F*****g hell, Rory.’
“Granted, it was a little rinky-dink par-3, but doesn’t matter, but it was still a little too soon to hear that. [The wound] was not healed yet.”
This playful jibe from the current Masters leader actually helped fire Spaun up as he went on to claim victory at the US Open later that year. He holed an outstanding 64-foot putt on the 18th at Oakmont Country Club, finishing two strokes ahead of Robert MacIntyre.
Spaun channelled the frustration he felt at The Players, along with McIlroy’s cheeky remark, to drive himself towards a major triumph. Speaking ahead of his US Open victory, the 35-year-old said: “The Players was sort of a springboard into self-belief.
“But to do that at The Players, a course where I’d never done well historically, and to go head-to-head with Rory on Sunday, and then the playoff was great for my confidence. Sadly, I didn’t win, but it was brilliant for me to lean back on that experience.”
Now, McIlroy will be hoping to draw on Spaun’s self-belief and composure as he enters the final round of the Masters level at the top of the leaderboard.
He will tee off alongside co-leader Cameron Young on Sunday evening with the opportunity to defend his Green Jacket – and become the first player to do so since Tiger Woods in 2002.
Speaking following a challenging third round, the Northern Irishman said: “There was just a couple where I had maybe awkward numbers or trying to take a little bit off and I missed those ones left.
“So something to maybe go and work on tonight and, again, try to figure that out. I think for me it’s just about keeping my lower body moving. If I can just get my lower body moving through impact, then that should sort of fix it.”