2024 WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD, GRADES: AARON RAI SURGES TO FIRST PGA TOUR WIN AMID MARATHON ON SUNDAY

Aaron Rai watches his tee shot on the second hole (Chuck Burton/AP) (AP)

Aaron Rai shot 64 in the final round of the Wyndham Championship on Sunday to beat Max Greyserman. It was a shocking reversal at the end of the event that saw Greyserman make a quadruple bogey and a double bogey in the last five holes.

Rai trailed by four shots with just five holes to go after Greyserman holed out for eagle on the par-4 13th hole. However, Greyserman, a rookie on the PGA Tour this year, hit his next tee ball out of bounds and made an 8 to give back all four shots he led by in the span of about 20 minutes. 

Two holes later, after a birdie at the 15th put him back up one on Rai, he three-putted from 3 feet on the par-3 16th to go from one shot up to one shot down. Rai did the rest with an up and down from 199 yards for birdie at the last for his first victory on Tour.

The Englishman was obviously thrilled.

"Incredible, a dream come true," Rai told CBS Sports. Truly a dream come true. Even getting to the PGA Tour, but understanding how difficult it is out there and how strong the standard of golf is. I'm extremely grateful, I think it hasn't quite sunk in yet. An amazing achievement."

This was not a victory out of nowhere either. According to Data Golf, Rai ranks No. 17 in the world in total strokes gained in the last three months. He is keeping company with Patrick Cantlay, Ludvig Aberg, Joaquin Niemann and Bob MacIntyre. He finished in the top 20 at the Canadian Open and U.S. Open before notching three straight top 10s at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, John Deere Classic and Scottish Open.

He also finished first in the field this week at the Wyndham in approach play, ball striking and tee to green play. 

While the way the tournament ended was bizarre, and Rai may have won because Greyserman lost, this victory is no fluke. Rai is for real and has only been getting better. In each of his last six seasons, Rai's overall strokes gained number has improved every single year. That is only the product of tremendous work and dedication to improvement. And while there are some limitations on how far Rai can go with limited power, his consistent improvement just culminated in a wild PGA Tour victory, and there may be a lot more contention (and possibly even more victories) that follow. Grade: A+

2. Max Greyserman (-16): Greyserman said all the right things in the aftermath, but being up four with five to go, making another birdie coming home and still losing by two is going to sting.

"I'm just going to walk away that I played really, really good golf, executed really well," he said. "Had probably ... I don't know, four-shot lead. I had a four-shot lead with five holes to go? If you're doing that in a PGA Tour event, you're doing something exceptionally well, so that's what I'm going to walk away with." Grade: A-

5. Luke Clanton (-14): The amateur just notched his third top 10 on the PGA Tour this season to go along with a T41 at the U.S. Open. Nobody has put together three top 10s on the PGA Tour as an amateur since Jack Nicklaus in 1961. 

"That's pretty cool, for sure," said Clanton, in the understatement of the year when he was told about the Nicklaus stat.

What's somewhat incredible is that Clanton played 39 holes on Sunday to finish his second, third and then final round. And all of it ended just 18 hours before his tee time on Monday at the U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine. Grade: A+

T12. Matt Kuchar (-11): In one of the most bizarre things we have seen all year, Matt Kuchar began the last hole with his group but would not hit his second shot, instead electing to come back on Monday morning. This despite being seven shots back of the lead and nowhere near the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Also despite everyone from his group -- including Greyserman! -- finishing the hole. The difference between T12 and T21, which Kuchar is starting at given a poor drive on the 18th, is roughly $58,000. A lot of money to me and you, but probably not to Kuchar, who has made $59 million in his career. Grade: Inc.

T33. Victor Perez (-8): What makes Perez's T33 worthy of consideration this week? He played his way into the FedEx Cup Playoffs in the final spot (No. 70), which makes him the last man into the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He closed with eight consecutive pars in his final round to maintain the 70th position, which is where he started the week, where he was for most of Sunday and where he eventually finished. Grade: C

MC. Jordan Spieth (-2): This week was emblematic of Spieth's season. He was tremendous off the tee and struggled with everything else. He talked at length before the event started about how his wrist has affected him and how it needs to be fixed in the offseason. What that entails is up in the air, but what seems certain is that at No. 64 in the FedEx Cup standings, next week's FedEx St. Jude Championship will be the last time we see him this season. Grade: D-

- Kyle Porter 

TAYLOR PENDRITH GETS FIRST PGA TOUR WIN AT BYRON NELSON AFTER FINAL HALL COLLAPSE FROM BEN KHOLS

AP Photo 

 McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — Taylor Pendrith tried his best to ignore Ben Kohles’ final-hole meltdown, focusing on the eagle putt that the Canadian thought he might have to make even to force a playoff as he walked toward the 18th green.

Several stunning minutes later, a 3-footer for birdie gave Pendrith his first PGA Tour victory.

Kohles overtook Pendrith with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 for a one-shot lead, then bogeyed the 18th after hitting his second shot into greenside rough. Already in shock following two chips from the rough — the second with his feet in a bunker — Kohles missed a 6-foot putt that would have forced a playoff.

“Wasn’t really trying to pay attention to what they were doing, although it really mattered, obviously,” Pendrith said. “I feel for Ben. He played really, really good today, especially down the stretch. I’ve been on the other side of it a couple times, and it sucks. But it’s golf. It’s a hard game.”

Pendrith shot 4-under 67 for a 23-under 261 total at the TPC Craig Ranch. The 32-year-old won in his 74th career PGA Tour start.

Playing just north of his birthplace of Dallas, Kohles shot 66 to finish a stroke back. The 34-year-old who plays out of North Carolina is winless in 68 starts.

“Honestly, hadn’t seen any rough like that all week,” said Kohles, who moved to North Carolina when he was 10. “Just needed a little bit more umph on it. Did so many good things this week, and I’m just going to keep reminding myself of that and try to get myself back in this position.”

AP Photo 

Alex Noren, a Swedish player also seeking a first PGA Tour victory, was another stroke back. He wowed the crowd on the stadium hole at the par-3 17th with a tee shot to 2 1/2 feet, but followed that birdie with a par knowing he probably needed an eagle on 18. Noren shot 65 and was alone in third at 21 under.

Aaron Rai and first-round leader Matt Wallace of England were at 20 under along with the South Korean pair of S.H. Kim and Byeong Hun An. Rai and Kim shot 64, An 65 and Wallace 68.

Pendrith, the third-round leader, and Kohles were separated by just one shot or tied most of the day. After Kohles made a 20-footer to take the lead on 17, Pendrith's par putt rolled all the way around the cup and went in.

“It just curled in, that putt on the last second there, which was unreal just to give me a chance,” said Pendrith, who set it up with a chip from an awkward stance with his heels hanging over the lip of a bunker, after saving par with another testy putt at the par-4 16th.

The victory qualified Pendrith for the PGA Championship in two weeks and next year's Masters. He's also in the next three $20 million signature events, starting next week with the Wells Fargo championship. Kohles and Noren also played their way into Wells Fargo with their Nelson showings.

With Wells Fargo and the PGA coming in the next two weeks, just three of the top 30 in the world ranking were in the field.

Jordan Spieth, the highest at No. 20, missed the cut for just the second time in 12 appearances at his hometown event. Defending champion Jason Day (22nd) and Tom Kim (23rd) didn’t contend, with Day finishing one shot behind Kim at 9 under.

Jake Knapp, the second-round leader who three years ago was working as a security guard in his home state of California, shot 70 to finish at 19 under. Knapp and Wallace were the only players in the top eight with a previous PGA Tour win.

The start of the final round was pushed back 2 1/2 hours because of overnight rain, and pairings turned into threesomes going off both tees with the players allowed to lift, clean and place shots in the fairway.

Wallace appeared to start a charge by chipping in for birdie at 12, the toughest hole of the week, and getting another birdie at the par-4 13th. A three-putt bogey on the par-3 15th stalled him out.

Rafael Campos, a 13-year journeyman from Puerto Rico who has spent most of his career on satellite tours, birdied five of the first six holes starting on the back nine to make the turn at 29.

The 36-year-old cooled off on his second nine before making a 48-foot putt from off the green for eagle on the par-5 ninth for a 63 that put him at 18 under.

Taiga Semikawa, a 23-year-old from Japan playing on a sponsor exemption, also finished at 18 after a 64.

Kris Kim, a 16-year old amateur making his PGA Tour debut, had a rough finish as the youngest to play a final round on tour in 10 years.

Playing his final nine on the front, the son of South Korean-born former LPGA Tour player Ji-Hyun Suh had four bogeys and shot 73 to finish 6 under.

Kim, who is from England, played on a sponsor exemption from the South Korean company and tournament title sponsor CJ Group.

- SCHUYLER DIXON

SPIETH TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR GENESIS INVITATIONAL DISQUALIFICATION

USA TODAY Sports 

 Jordan Spieth admitted to signing for the wrong score at The Genesis Invitational at Riviera on Friday as the former U.S. Open champion was disqualified for the first time in his career.

The PGA Tour said that the former world number one had signed at the end of the second round for a three on the par-three fourth hole when he had made a four.

Spieth's disqualification was his first in 263 tournaments played on the PGA Tour.

"Today, I signed for an incorrect scorecard and stepped out of the scoring area, after thinking I went through all procedures to make sure it was correct," the 30-year-old wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"Rules are rules, and I take full responsibility.

"I love this tournament and golf course as much as any on the PGA Tour so it hurts to not have a run at the weekend."

Tiger Woods will also be missing from the final two rounds of the tournament after the 15-times major champion withdrew on Friday due to illness.

- Reuters 

JORDAN SPIETH | FINAL ROUND | THE MASTERS

 

THE OPEN: JORDAN SPIETH PRESS CONFERENCE | THE 146TH OPEN CHAMPION

GOLF: CURRENT USA RYDER CUP TEAM UNDER CAPTAIN DAVIS LOVE

USA are gearing up for they Ryder Cup and captain Davis Love has 8 players ready and 4 wildcard picks to come...

Below are the names of the 8 players by points that are ready.

1) Dustin Johnson

2) Jordan Spieth 

3) Phil Mickleson

4) Patrick Reed 

5) Jimmy Walker

6) Brooks Koepka

7) Brandt Snedeker

8) Zach Johnson

THE MASTERS 2016: DANNY WILLEtT KUTOKA ENGLAND ACHUKUA KOTI LA KIJANI

Danny Willett ameshangaza ulimwengu wa Golf duniani alivyoshinda Masters 2016 huko Agusta Georgia...Aliyekuwa anategemewa, Jodran Spieth, alichemsha kwenye shimo la 3 round ya mwisho na kusababisha Danny Willett ashinde kwa -5 (67)...Hakuna mtu alitegemea Willett kushinda kwani Jordan Spieth ilikuwa ashinde kilaini lakini mambo hayakumwendea vizuri...Willett mwenye umri wa miaka 28  ameshinda Major yake ya kwanza na toka miaka 20 iliyopita hakuna mtu kutoka England aliyeshinda...Lee Westwood alimaliza wa 2 akiwa na -2 (69) akiwa na Jordan Spieth...Paul Casey alimaliza wa 3 akiwa na score ya -1...Bofya hapa upate habari zaidi.

U.S. MASTERS 2016: JORDAN SPIETH TAKES THE OK EAD

Previous  Masters winner takes the lead at  Agusta,Georgia. Jordan Spieth is at -6 followed by  S. Lowry na D. Lee at -4 -4...Cluck here for more.