Golfer sorry after playing final hole a day late

Tiger Woods once remarked that “golf is a lonely sport,” a sentiment that Matt Kuchar can certainly relate to after an unusual and solitary conclusion to the Wyndham Championship. The seasoned PGA Tour veteran found himself in an extraordinary situation, as he became the only player to defer finishing his final round on Sunday at the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, due to fading daylight.

Kuchar, who had been in strong form and led the tournament after the second round, faced a challenging 72nd hole in near darkness. As the light diminished, Kuchar’s final tee shot on Sunday evening veered to the left, landing him in a precarious position with 212 yards still to go to the flag on the 508-yard, par-4 18th hole. Rather than rushing his decision in the rapidly fading light, Kuchar made the rare choice to pause his game, intending to return the following morning to carefully assess his options and finish on a fresh note.

As the sun rose over the course on Monday at 8 a.m. local time, Kuchar was back on the green, alone in his pursuit to complete the tournament. His decision to delay finishing drew considerable attention and sparked a wave of criticism on social media, where fans and commentators expressed their views on the unusual circumstances. Kuchar, however, remained largely insulated from the uproar, noting that he prefers to stay away from social media.

“I try to avoid all that stuff,” Kuchar said when asked about the reaction to his decision. “My agent did call me to say, ‘Hey, you’re causing quite a stir,’ so that was the little I heard. I’m grateful to not be a part of the social media thing.”

Despite the criticism, Kuchar managed to handle the pressure on his final hole. After receiving line-of-sight relief due to the proximity of a scoreboard near the green, he dropped his ball in the adjacent fairway. His approach shot fell short of the green, but his third shot was a moment of skill, as it struck the flagstick, setting up a simple tap-in for par.

Reflecting on the experience, Kuchar acknowledged the awkwardness of the situation. “It stinks,” he admitted after finally completing his round. “Nobody wants to be that guy who shows up the next day, the only one playing, just to finish half a hole and putt. So apologies to the tournament, to everyone who had to come out. I know it stinks; I understand the ramifications, and I apologize for making everyone come out here.”

Kuchar’s final round, despite the odd circumstances, resulted in a tie for 12th place, with a 10-way share at 11 under par. This placement earned him a substantial check of $204,000 (approximately $338,790) and significantly boosted his standing in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Kuchar climbed ten spots to No. 103 in the rankings, a crucial improvement as he strives to finish the season within the Top 125, which would secure his PGA Tour card for 2025.

While Kuchar’s finish was noteworthy, the spotlight also shone on Olympic champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who continued his incredible run of form. Scheffler, who has dominated the PGA Tour’s 2024 season with six tournament victories, including four Signature Events and his second career major at the Masters, capped off his season by securing the top spot in the Comcast Business Tour Top 10 list. This achievement, which recognizes the best season-long performance, came with a massive $12 million payout.

Reflecting on his remarkable year, Scheffler said, “It’s been an incredible year for me both on and off the course, so to finish up the regular season by earning the top spot in the Comcast Business Tour Top 10 is an honor.