Matt Kuchar reacts after making his putt on the 18th green during the final round of the 3M Open golf tournament at Tournament Players Club on Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Blaine, Minn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Aaron Rai won the Wyndham Championship in near darkness Sunday night, a rain-delayed tournament that didn’t officially go into the books until Matt Kuchar finished it Monday morning.

It was a strange ending and Kuchar apologized to tournament officials after finishing the 18th hole with a par to finish 12th, seven strokes behind the leader.

He did, however, explain what led to his decision not to play on Sunday night, saying he wanted to set a precedent for rookie Max Greyserman, who also wanted to wait until Monday morning because so much was riding on the outcome.

There was one problem, however: Kuchar didn’t know that Rai had made a birdie in the group ahead of him, giving him a two-shot lead, making it unlikely that Greyserman would catch him.

“I now know how Max will ultimately have a chance to win a tournament,” said Kuchar. “I thought Max definitely had a chance to win, and I thought, ‘There’s no way you’re going to hit that shot in that situation. You always come back in the morning. And so I said, ‘All right, Max will stop and make it easier for him somehow.'”

Tropical Storm Debby canceled the first round, and it was surprising that it even finished on Sunday. They played until dark each day and didn’t change tee times for the final 36 holes to keep players moving.

Kuchar was in the final group as the 36-hole leader. He believes the darkness played a role in Greyserman needing just four putts on the 16th green, which set up a wild finish for the newcomer. Greyserman holed an eagle on the 13th to take a four-shot lead, lost it with a quadruple bogey on the next hole, made a birdie on the 15th, then four putts from 40 feet for a double bogey on the 16th.

Kuchar teed off on the 18th hole while the group ahead of him was still on the fairway, an indication that he was determined to finish the match. He said he saw a pink shirt on the 18th green and assumed it was Billy Horschel, who was in Rai’s group. Kuchar went so far left that he went over on the 10th hole.

He felt that it was already too dark for normal play.

“If I had been on the fairway with the normal shot, I probably would have tried to finish,” said Kuchar. “But I just saw Max four-putt the 16th hole. If there was daylight on the green, would he four-putt? I don’t know.”

Kuchar said that while he felt sorry for everyone who had to return Monday morning to complete the tournaments, he was at least happy that Rai was able to hold an awards ceremony to celebrate his first PGA Tour title.

Kuchar, meanwhile, got back in position and saved a par just before the green. His tied 12th meant he will miss the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time since they were introduced in 2007. But he moved up 10 places to 103rd and now has a chance this fall to secure a full card for next year.

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AP Golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf