J.J. Spaun’s Caddie Under Fire As Costly 17th Hole Advice Gifts Rory McIlroy $4.5M at The Players Championship

Rory McIlroy is now a 2-times PLAYERS Champion! But while everyone is celebrating the golfer’s victory, it was a loss for J.J. Spaun. Now, many fans are mad at J.J. Spaun‘s caddie, Mark Carens, for wrong advice on the 17th hole. Carens advised Spaun to take an aggressive approach, which ultimately led to Spaun airmailing the green and landing in trouble. To make matters worse, Carens was also spotted sneaking a peek at McIlroy’s club selection, trying to gather an edge for Spaun. However, the strategy backfired, and Spaun was unable to recover from the mistake.

According to the playoff results, McIlroy emerged victorious after a three-hole aggregate playoff against J.J. Spaun at TPC Sawgrass on St. Patrick’s Day, bringing a wee bit of luck to the golf course. McIlroy started strong, hitting a perfect 336-yard drive down 16, which led to a comfortable two-putt birdie. He then found dry land at 17 for the 21st consecutive time in competition, while Spaun’s tee shot into the water sealed McIlroy’s win.

The what-if scenario is still haunting Spaun and his team, as they wonder what could have been if Carens had advised a more cautious approach. Spaun had been playing some of the best golf of his life, and the crowd was firmly behind him as he battled McIlroy in the playoff.

Unfortunately, the fateful decision at the 17th hole changed the course of the tournament, and Spaun was left to ponder what might have been. Now, fans are extremely mad at Carens, who they feel cost Spaun the title with his questionable advice.

Netizens bash J.J. Spaun’s caddie in the comment section

Coming in strong, one fan said, “Did his caddie f**k him?” while the other wrote, “Disaster for JJ Spaun at 17, just the 7th triple bogey or worse all week there.” Well, the 17th hole is indeed very confusing, so for Spaun and his caddie to make such a mistake is somewhat understandable. The island-green, par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass is a hole that sparks intense debate, with some hailing it as a gem, while others dismiss it as a gimmick. Its contrived design, courtesy of the late Pete Dye, has led to criticism and ridicule, yet it undeniably generates interest and fan excitement. Despite being an average hole at best, its penal nature creates manufactured drama, making it a talking point. But, its placement as the 17th hole has been questioned, with some arguing that it’s the wrong hole at the wrong time, and that its influence on the outcome of the Players Championship lowers the tournament’s standing.

One fan wrote, “JJ Spaun and his caddy were SOOO UNPREPARED. Don’t know their yardages, looking in Rory’s bag? WTF???” while many are predicting that Spaun will likely fire Carens over the major loss as one of the fans wrote, “His caddie will be looking for a new job soon lol.” Well, the golfer is just as sad about this loss as every other golf fan, but he hasn’t hinted at firing his caddie anytime soon. J.J. Spaun’s heartbreaking loss to Rory McIlroy in the Monday playoff at The Players Championship was sealed after a pivotal triple bogey at the iconic par-3 17th hole, where he found the water.

“I was 100% committed” to the pivotal shot on the 17th tee box, Spaun explained, adding that he had meticulously planned the shot, taking into account the wind direction and yardage. “We were getting numbers on the range with the TrackMan and literally the same wind direction it was flying like 128 yards. It was a perfect club,” he stated. Despite the crushing defeat, Spaun took the loss graciously, acknowledging that he had executed the shot as planned, but it simply didn’t work out in his favor.