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| Brendon Todd (R) and Coach Chris Haack did not mind holding the Stadion Classic at UGA trophy in the rain on Sunday at the UGA Golf Course. |
Georgia alum Brendon Todd earned his second career title Sunday when steady rains forced the cancellation of the final round of the Web.com Tour’s Stadion Classic at UGA and the tournament reverted to the 54-hole standings.
Todd, a 2007 graduate who was a four-time All-American for the Bulldogs, is the third straight Georgia alum to win the tournament joining Russell Henley from 2011 and Hudson Swafford from 2012.
“I think it has something to do with being comfortable out here,” said Todd, who helped the Bulldogs to the NCAA title in 2005. “You still have to hit all the shots but sometimes the shots are just more comfortable. I’m excited because I wanted to put my name on that list. It just makes it more special to get it done out here.”
Todd’s 2-under 69 on Saturday moved him to 8-under 205, one stroke better than playing partner Tim Wilkinson and two in front of Nick Rousey.
The University of Georgia Golf Course was deemed unplayable by tournament officials after more than 2½ inches of rain fell in the Athens area in a 24-hour period.
“I was ready to play today,” said Todd, who had not arrived at the course when he was notified of the results. “With all the rain we had and the water on the course it didn’t seem feasible that we would play. This is sweet. I don’t really care how I win.”
Saturday’s third round was played in cold and rain and Todd had a feeling that Sunday’s round was in jeopardy if the rain persisted.
“I tried to treat it like a one-day shootout,” he said following play. “I knew there wouldn’t be anything bad that could come from leading after today (Saturday).”
Todd’s winning putt turned out to be an 18-foot birdie on the par-5, 17th. Wilkinson had a chance to tie with a 12-footer but missed.
The decision to cancel the final round came mid-morning, with light rain still falling in Northeast Georgia.
“This was not a difficult decision,” said Web.com Tour Tournament Director Jim Duncan. “The course is completely unplayable. When you get a long, soaking rain like this on the clay, it basically becomes mush. There is not a tee on the golf course right now that’s playable, anywhere.”
Maintenance crews were doing their best to get the course ready but the rain proved too difficult to overcome.
“There are probably six to eight fairways that are really bad and there would be no relief,” said Duncan. “The guys would have to play it out of the water or drop it on a cart path.”
Duncan added that extending the tournament into Monday was not an option.
“The Web.com Tour regulations make it pretty clear what you can and what you can’t do,” he said. “We can’t purposely go into Monday on this Tour. You have to be able to start the round and finish it today.”
• In the PGA TOUR's Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina, Brian Harman notched a 10th-place finish at 4-under. Russell Henley was 43rd at 2-over and Chris Kirk was 50th at 3-over. Bubba Watson, Erik Compton and Justin Bolli did not make the cut.
• The Bulldogs will learn their NCAA Regional destination Monday night.
