Current:Home > FinanceMatt Kuchar bizarrely stops playing on 72nd hole of Wyndham Championship -Wealth Evolution Experts
Matt Kuchar bizarrely stops playing on 72nd hole of Wyndham Championship
View
Date:2025-04-22 15:44:40
Aaron Rai won his first PGA Tour title on Sunday, claiming a two-stroke win at the Wyndham Championship.
But the tournament didn't officially end as darkness fell on Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.
That's because Matt Kuchar bizarrely stopped playing after hitting his tee shot on the 18th hole, opting to mark his ball in the pine straw 212 yards from the hole and walk the course with the other players in the last group as they completed their rounds.
"It has been a really bizarre sequence of events," said CBS Sports analyst Trevor Immelman as the network's broadcast came to a close.
Kuchar led the tournament after 36 holes, but was out of contention at 11-under when he stepped to the 18th tee to conclude a marathon, 36-hole day stemming from weather delays due to Tropical Storm Debby.
With the sun already set and visibility declining, tournament officials informed Kuchar, Chad Ramey and Max Greyserman that rather than blow the horn to suspend play, they would be allowed to finish the hole then or complete it the next day.
In an apparent attempt to finish quickly, Kuchar unknowingly hit into the group ahead of him, one that included Rai – who led Greyserman by one stroke at the time.
"Why did he tee off on 18 when the fairway wasn’t clear? To me that was the egregious error," Golf Channel’s Paige Mackenzie later said. "It was completely disrespectful."
After Kuchar's ball landed left of the fairway, he informed officials he would finish his round Monday morning – even though he had no chance of advancing to the PGA Tour's playoffs. As things turned out, Rai birdied the final hole to push his lead to two strokes and Greyserman closed with a par to finish second.
As the sun rose again on Monday, Kuchar was the only player back out on the course to make the results official.
He hit his second shot on the green and parred the hole to finish in a tie for 12th, earning him $134,695.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
veryGood! (8)
Related
- B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
- It's getting easier to find baby formula. But you might still run into bare shelves
- RSV is surging. Here's what to watch for and answers about treatment options
- Is it safe to work and commute outside? What experts advise as wildfire smoke stifles East Coast.
- The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees
- Concussion protocols are based on research of mostly men. What about women?
- A town employee who quietly lowered the fluoride in water has resigned
- Why Vanessa Hudgens Is Thinking About Eloping With Fiancé Cole Tucker
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- Health department medical detectives find 84% of U.S. maternal deaths are preventable
Ranking
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- A Heat Wave Left Arctic Sea Ice Near a Record Winter Low. This Town Is Paying the Price.
- Today’s Climate: July 6, 2010
- Are We Ready for Another COVID Surge?
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- This MacArthur 'genius' grantee says she isn't a drug price rebel but she kind of is
- Families fear a ban on gender affirming care in the wake of harassment of clinics
- Is Oklahoma’s New Earthquake-Reduction Plan Enough to Stop the Shaking?
Recommendation
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
Givenchy’s Cult Favorite Black Magic Lipstick Is Finally Back in Stock and It’s on Sale
Bindi Irwin Shares Health Update After Painful, Decade-Long Endometriosis Journey
Today’s Climate: July 22, 2010
Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
Villains Again? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Nix Innovative Home Energy Programs
24-Hour Flash Deal: Samsung Galaxy A23 5G Phone for Just $130
Omicron boosters for kids 5-12 are cleared by the CDC