Malnati finishes strong, claims first PGA Tour win

JACKSON, Miss. — Peter Malnati won for the first time on the PGA Tour, closing with a 5-under 67 to capture the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Malnati finished at 18 under in a rain-soaked tournament that was forced to complete play Monday. He was one shot behind going into the final round but closed with five birdies over his final 12 holes to beat William McGirt and David Toms by one stroke.

The event at the Country Club of Jackson was delayed five times, either by rain, lightning or darkness. The final day was a long one for several golfers, with some playing as many as 30 holes. In other golf news: • The Champions Tour will stage the first leg of its playoffs at a new event in Los Angeles starting next year.

The tour said the PowerShares QQQ Championship will be played Oct. 24-30 at a site to be announced. Newly renovated Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif., will host in 2017 and 2018.

The tournament will be the first of three events in the new Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, with the Dominion Charity Classic and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship rounding out the inaugural playoffs that will determine the seasonlong champion.

The top 72 players in the standings will compete in the Los Angeles tournament for a $2 million purse, with the field trimmed for the following week’s Dominion Charity Classic.