England’s Aaron Rai clinched his inaugural PGA Tour title with a remarkable two-shot victory at the Wyndham Championship, seizing the triumph as Max Greyserman faltered in the latter stages of the final round.
Rai concluded the tournament with a stellar six-under 64, adding to his earlier two-under 68 in a demanding day of play that required all participants to complete at least 36 holes. Inclement weather led to the cancellation of Thursday’s play, with delays also affecting Friday and Saturday.
The 29-year-old finished the event at an impressive 18 under, finally securing a coveted victory on the North American circuit after coming close on several occasions, including a second-place finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in June.
The turning point came when Rai, trailing by four shots midway through the back nine, witnessed Greyserman sink a remarkable eagle from 91 yards on the par-four 13th. However, the American’s fortunes quickly reversed as he incurred a quadruple bogey on the following hole after hitting his drive out of bounds. This was further compounded by a double bogey at 16, as he four-putted at the par-three hole. Greyserman ultimately settled for second place at 16 under after posting a one-under 69, following pars on 17 and 18.
Rai, who secured four birdies on the front nine and added another on the 12th hole, concluded the tournament with a flourish by birdying his final hole. Notably, the 29-year-old had previously clinched two titles on the DP World Tour, emerging victorious at the Hong Kong Open in 2018 and the Scottish Open in 2020.
Meanwhile, the third-place position was shared by America’s JJ Spaun and Japan’s Ryo Hisatsume, both finishing at 15 under, three strokes behind Rai. Matt Kuchar, the frontrunner at the halfway mark, concluded the tournament in a tie for 12th place at 11 under par, after returning to the course to complete his final hole on Monday.
Kuchar’s completion of the tournament holds added significance, as it marks the first time since the inception of the FedExCup Playoffs in 2007 that he will not participate in the series. Despite his consistent presence in every FedExCup Playoff campaign thus far, the 46-year-old fell outside the top 70 in the standings, resulting in his exclusion from the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis starting on Thursday.
The conclusion of the tournament also saw Kuchar issue an apology, following his decision not to finish the 72nd hole of the weather-affected play on Sunday. Despite returning to Sedgefield Country Club on Monday and completing the 18th hole with a par, Kuchar’s notable absence from the upcoming FedExCup Playoffs marks a significant moment in his illustrious career.
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