PGA Tour veteran says Rory McIlroy's 2025 season isn't a success despite Players Championship win

On Monday (March 17), St. Patrick's Day, Rory McIlroy beat American J.J. Spaun to win The Players Championship 2025. This victory was McIlroy's 28th on the PGA Tour and second in 2025. Previously, the Northern Irishman won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am which was held in February.

While McIlroy's year has already been filled with success in the very beginning, PGA Tour veteran Brendon de Jonge thinks otherwise. The Zimbabwean golfer feels McIlroy's 2025 can't be termed as successful and further mentioned what the 35-year-old must do if he wants to have a sucessful 2025.

De Jonge said:

"The actual statement I made was that if he won five times that didn't include a Major, it wouldn't be a successful year for Rory. And I am sticking to that. Yes. I think this year, especially now, having two big events under his belt already, if he doesn't get a Major championship, it will not be considered a successful year for Rory. And again, mainly because of where the Majors fall this year."

You can check what Brendon de Jonge said below:

Further, Brendon de Jonge spoke about how Rory McIlroy might have an advantage on different golf courses that will host the four Major championships this year. It's worth noting that McIlroy has not won a Major since he won his second PGA Championship and the Open Championship in 2014.

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How much did Rory McIlroy earn for winning The Players Championship 2025?

The Players Championship 2025 had a purse of $25,000,000. Rory McIlroy earned the lion's share of this purse as he took home $4,500,000. Here is a detailed look at the payout for the event:

• 1 Rory McIlroy -12 $4,500,000
• 2 J.J. Spaun -12 $2,725,000
• T3 Tom Hoge -10 $1,325,000
• T3 Akshay Bhatia -10 $1,325,000
• T3 Lucas Glover -10 $1,325,000
• T6 Danny Walker -9 $843,750
• T6 Corey Conners -9 $843,750
• T6 Bud Cauley -9 $843,750
• 9 Robert MacIntyre -8 $731,250
• T10 Collin Morikawa -7 $656,250
• T10 Davis Thompson -7 $656,250
• T12 Patrick Cantlay -6 $556,250
• T12 Jake Knapp -6 $556,250
• T14 Aaron Rai -5 $418,750
• T14 Denny McCarthy -5 $418,750
• T14 Tommy Fleetwood -5 $418,750
• T14 Sam Ryder -5 $418,750
• T14 Sepp Straka -5 $418,750
• T14 Alex Smalley -5 $418,750
• T20 Shane Lowry -4 $240,250
• T20 Ryan Fox -4 $240,250
• T20 Keegan Bradley -4 $240,250
• T20 Joe Highsmith -4 $240,250
• T20 Matt McCarty -4 $240,250
• T20 Daniel Berger -4 $240,250
• T20 Scottie Scheffler -4 $240,250
• T20 Min Woo Lee -4 $240,250
• T20 Max McGreevy -4 $240,250
• T20 Stephan Jaeger -4 $240,250
• T30 Russell Henley -3 $163,750
• T30 Harris English -3 $163,750
• T30 Will Zalatoris -3 $163,750
• T33 Rico Hoey -2 $136,250
• T33 Kurt Kitayama -2 $136,250
• T33 Justin Thomas -2 $136,250
• T33 Taylor Moore -2 $136,250
• T33 J.T. Poston -2 $136,250
• T38 Si Woo Kim -1 $111,250
• T38 Justin Lower -1 $111,250
• T38 Davis Riley -1 $111,250
• T38 Taylor Pendrith -1 $111,250
• T42 Hayden Springer E $81,688
• T42 Matt Kuchar E $81,688
• T42 Billy Horschel E $81,688
• T42 Jesper Svensson E $81,688
• T42 Mac Meissner E $81,688
• T42 Tom Kim E $81,688
• T42 Chris Kirk E $81,688
• T42 Ryan Gerard E $81,688
• T50 Beau Hossler 1 $63,500
• T50 Jacob Bridgeman 1 $63,500
• T52 Byeong Hun An 2 $60,750
• T52 Sahith Theegala 2 $60,750
• T54 Matthieu Pavon 3 $58,250
• T54 Carson Young 3 $58,250
• T54 Charley Hoffman 3 $58,250
• T54 Camilo Villegas 3 $58,250
• T54 Joel Dahmen 3 $58,250
• 59 Jordan Spieth 4 $56,750
• 60 Jhonattan Vegas 5 $56,250
• T61 Trey Mullinax 6 $54,500
• T61 Cameron Young 6 $54,500
• T61 Sungjae Im 6 $54,500
• T61 Will Chandler 6 $54,500
• T61 Chandler Phillips 6 $54,500
• T61 Austin Eckroat 6 $54,500
• 67 Emiliano Grillo 7 $52,750
• 68 Isaiah Salinda 8 $52,250
• T69 Sami Valimaki 9 $51,500
• T69 C.T. Pan 9 $51,500
• 71 Rickie Fowler 12 $50,750
• 72 Xander Schauffele 13 $50,250