PGA Tour event playoff stopped by darkness

NEW YORK: Colombian Camilo Villegas, Canadian rookie Mackenzie Hughes, Swede Henrik Norlander and American Blayne Barber will return to complete a playoff for the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic in Georgia yesterday as darkness halted play after two extra holes on Sunday.

All four players parred the first two playoff holes at the Seaside Course in St Simons on Sunday and will resume the decider at 8am (1300 GMT) from the 17th hole in the last regular PGA tournament of 2016.

Five players finished the regulation 72 holes tied on 17under at Sea Island Resort including Billy Horschel, the 2014 FedExCup champion, who was eliminated after missing a short par putt on the first extra hole of the largest PGA Tour playoff of the year.

“I just blocked it,” said Horschel, who narrowly missed a birdie putt that would have won the tournament before flubbing the twofoot par putt to remain in the playoff.

Hughes, trying to complete a wire-to-wire win after opening with a 61, squandered a chance to clinch his first victory on the second hole of sudden death when his 10foot birdie putt broke away from the hole at the last instant.

The Canadian also failed to take advantage of birdie chances on 15 and 16 in regulation, but showed his mettle when he sank a five-footer for par at the 18th to join the playoff.

Norlander finished with a flourish for his closing 65, knocking a nineiron approach shot to three feet for birdie, while Barber missed a 12footer for birdie at the last in posting a 66.

Villegas reached the playoff with a great finish after trailing by two with three holes left, sticking a wedge shot close for a birdie on 16 before rolling in an 18foot birdie from the fringe at the parthree 17th in registering a 68.

The Colombian assured himself of his first top10 finish since winning the 2014 Wyndham Championship.

Tour rookie Pan Chengtsung of Taiwan finished in a fourway tie for sixth after posting a finalround 71. — Reuters