Final PGA Tour event goes another day

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GA. • The largest PGA Tour playoff of the year at the RSM Classic didn’t finish before darkness Sunday, and it won’t include Billy Horschel when it resumes.

Horschel, the highestranked player in the five-man playoff, burned the edge of the cup with his birdie putt at No. 18 on the first playoff hole. Stepping over a routine tap-in from 2 feet, he blocked it to the right and was eliminated.

Mackenzie Hughes, the Canadian trying to become the first rookie to go wireto-wire in 20 years, had a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 18 on the second extra hole and it turned away to the left. It already was plenty dark, and there was no chance to play another hole.

Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., Blayne Barber, Camilo Villegas and Henrik Norlander were to return at 8 a.m. on Monday to finish the final PGA Tour event of the year.

So much is at stake for all of them, starting with a trip to the Masters. Norlander and Villegas don’t have full status on the PGA Tour this year — Norlander received a sponsor’s exemption — and a victory would take care of that. Hughes began his rookie season just six weeks ago and has a honeymoon planned in the off-season. Barber is going for his first PGA Tour victory.

All of them had their chances, and none had any real regrets over the final hour. Hughes narrowly missed birdie chances on the 15th and 16th holes, but holed a 5-foot par putt on the 18th in regulation for a 1-under 69 to join the playoff.