England's Aaron Rai wins first PGA Tour title with Wyndham Championship victory; Max Greyserman led by four shots midway through back nine but then suffered quadruple bogey and double bogey in awful finish; Matt Kuchar misses out on FedExCup Playoffs, which start on Thursday, live on Sky
Monday 12 August 2024 09:27, UK
England's Aaron Rai landed his first PGA Tour title with a two-shot win at the Wyndham Championship after Max Greyserman crumbled late in the final round.
Rai finished with a six-under 64 having carded a two-under 68 earlier on during a day in which everyone played at least 36 holes due to Thursday being wiped out by inclement weather and delays also seen on Friday and Saturday.
The 29-year-old closed on 18 under for the tournament as he finally triumphed on the North American circuit after a number of near misses, including when he came second at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in June.
Rai trailed by four shots midway through the back nine when Greyserman holed out from 91 yards for eagle on the par-four-13th, only for the American to quadruple bogey his next hole after driving out of bounds.
Greyserman then followed a birdie at 15 with a double bogey at 16 as he four-putted on the par three and ended up outright second on 16 under after parring 17 and 18 and signing for a one-under 69.
Rai - who birdied his final hole after picking up four shots on his front nine and another at 12 - was already a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, victorious at the Hong Kong Open in 2018 and Scottish Open in 2020.
The Wolverhampton-born player said after winning in North Carolina: "It truly is a dream come true. So many people have played a huge role in me being at this point.
"There's a huge team behind me and I wouldn't be here without all of them. I am just extremely happy and grateful to be here and to surrounded by great people.
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America's JJ Spaun and Japan's Ryo Hisatsume shared third place on 15 under, three strokes adrift of Rai, while halfway leader Matt Kuchar tied 12th on 11 under par after returning to the course to complete his final hole on Monday.
Kuchar will now miss on out on the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time since the series' inception in 2007, with the 46-year-old needing to win the Wyndham Championship to extend his season.
The former world No 4, the only player to reach every FedExCup Playoff campaign to this point, ended up outside the top 70 in the standings and will be a notable omission from the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis from Thursday.
Kuchar was the only player in the field to return to Sedgefield Country Club on Monday after exercising his right not to finish the 72nd hole of the weather-affected tournament on Sunday evening and he subsequently issued an apology after parring the 18th.
Speaking to a small group of reporters after finishing, Kuchar said: "Sorry that you guys had to come out this morning. Nobody wants to be that guy, which I feel I turned into, the one guy that didn't finish.
"I know the ramifications, I know it stinks. Certainly I apologise to force everybody to come out here."
Watch the opening event of the PGA Tour's FedExCup Playoffs, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Thursday. Coverage picks up on Sky Sports Main Event from 9.30pm.
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