Sutherland, Parel head to Monday finish at Fallen Oak

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This article was published 31/03/2019 (2715 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BILOXI, Miss. – Scott Parel made a 12-foot par putt to match Kevin Sutherland on the fifth hole of a playoff before play was suspended because of darkness Sunday night in the PGA Tour Champions’ Rapiscan Systems Classic.

They will finish Monday morning after a long cold day at Fallen Oak.

Sutherland, the second-round leader, missed a 2-foot par putt on the second extra hole — the third straight hole he missed putts for the victory. He failed to make a birdie in all 23 holes, closing with a 3-over 75 to match Parel at 7 under.

“It was hard today. It was really hard,” Sutherland said. “I didn’t play well today, but it was hard today.”

Parel made an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th in regulation for a 69.

“I thought for sure he was going to make that par putt,” Parel said. “So my mindset was, ‘You know, I’m just lucky to be still playing.’ So, that’s how I’ll look at it tomorrow.”

Sutherland had his best chance for birdie on 18 in regulation, but his 6-footer went left. He missed a 15-footer on 18 to open the playoff.

“The pin’s on a good slope and unless you’re below the pin, which we never were, there’s a lot of break,” Sutherland said. “It’s pretty quick, so it’s kind of hard to match it all together. Just got to try to get it left of the pin, but the green’s so firm that it’s hard to get it there.”

They played the 18th four times in the playoff.

“There’s a very fine line where you can land the ball to get it to not go past or get it to be short,” Parel said. “You’ve got to land it perfectly. My last hole in regulation was actually a blessing, I think, to be in the rough a little bit because I landed it in that upslope, and because of the spin, it had enough to just trickle over the hill and get down there where I had a good putt.”

After playing the four par-5 holes in 5 under with an eagle and three birdies in an opening 65, the 54-year-old Sutherland was 3 over on the long holes in the second and third rounds.

Sutherland won the 2017 Charles Schwab Cup Championship for his lone Champions title. He’s the only player to shoot 59 in senior tour history, accomplishing the feat the 2014 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open. His only PGA Tour victory came in the 2002 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.

The 53-year-old Parel also birdied the par-5 13th and par-4 16th in regulation. He won twice last year, taking the Boeing Classic and Invesco QQQ Championship for his lone tour titles.

Billy Andrade shot a 71 to finish a stroke out of the playoff, three-putting the 18th for his second bogey in the last three holes. He birdied Nos. 12, 14 and 15 to take the lead at 9 under before faltering.

Marco Dawson was fourth at 5 under after a 74. Bernard Langer (69), 2018 winner Steve Stricker (69) and Wes Short Jr. (69) were 4 under.

Fred Couples closed with a 77 to drop into a tie for 17th at even par.

Gary Nicklaus, the son of 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus, shot 81 to tie for last at 20 over. He played on a sponsor exemption.