Stuard wins in playoff
Brian Stuard made steady golf pay off on a waterlogged course in the haunting cypress swamps outside New Orleans. Stuard, 33, birdied the final hole of a largely unspectacular final round to sneak into a three- way playoff on Monday, then beat Jamie Lovemark on the second extra hole to capture his first PGA Tour victory at the Zurich Classic. Stuard never bogeyed a hole throughout the tournament on the long ( 7,425yard), par- 72 TPC Louisiana course, which was drenched with more than 4 ½ inches of rain during the tournament. Weather delays on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday not only forced a Monday finish but also led officials to shorten the tournament to 54 holes. Lovemark, Stuard and Byeong- Hun An entered the playoff at 15 under par. An unraveled on the first playoff hole and Lovemark on the second while Stuard remained composed, virtually clinching the victory with a 160- yard approach to within 2 ½ of the pin for an easy birdie putt. Stuard’s best previous PGA Tour finishes were a pair of second places in Mexico, one in 2010 and the other in 2014. He arrived in New Orleans with conditional status on the PGA Tour, meaning he could only play in tournaments that had room for him when enough higher- ranked players skipped the event. His victory not only earned him $ 1.26 million, it also gives him a two- year exemption allowing him to play in majors and any other Tour event he wants. Jason Day, the world’s topranked player, wound up tied for fifth with Chris Kirk at 13 under. Bryce Molder ( Conway) finished in a tie for eighth at 10 under. He earned $ 203,000. Ken Duke ( Arkadelphia, Henderson State) finished at 3 under, earning $ 14,350.