Tiger Woods said it best when he described golf as a lonely sport – and Matt Kuchar can back him up against any doubters.

The 47-year-old is making his return to the Wyndham Championship this week, but won’t be expecting the red carpet rolled out for him.

Kuchar chose not to finish the 18th hole at the 2024 Wyndham ChampionshipCredit: Getty

The 2017 Open Championship runner-up may have some making up to do after his last visit to Sedgefield Country Club, this time last year.

Kuchar was forced to issue an apology after exercising his right not to finish the 72nd hole of the weather-affected 2024 tournament.

The American had needed a win to maintain his run as the only player to reach the FedExCup Playoffs every year since its first in 2007.

However, the PGA Tour veteran found himself out of contention by the time he took his final tee shot on the 18th hole on Sunday.

Kuchar, who birdied the 17th hole, was jeered for quickly hitting his drive from the 18th tee, with England’s Aaron Rai still on the fairway.

Fortunately, his ball sailed into the left rough, 212 yards from the flag, but ‘Kuch’ then bizarrely wanted to take his time to assess his options.

He ultimately surprised everyone by making the unusual decision not to finish amid the dimming daylight at Sedgefield Country Club.

CBS analyst Trevor Immelman noted that a horn had not been blown for darkness, but rules official, Orlando Pope, revealed it was past sunset and the final group had been given the option not to complete.

Max Greyserman and Chad Ramey both opted to finish, yet Kuchar informed tournament officials he would return on Monday.

“This is something I can’t remember ever having seen before,” commentator Jim Nantz admitted during the live broadcast.

Kuchar threw his hands up saying the horn had ‘theoretically’ been blownCredit: Sky Sports

The PGA Tour star wasn’t happy and later explained whyCredit: Sky SportsWhy did Kuchar finish on Monday?

“They called it for a player who’s not truly in contention to win it.”

Later, explaining his decision, Kuchar said he wanted to make a protest for Greyserman in front of him.

The latter, who had surrendered a four-shot lead after 13 holes but could still catch Rai with an eagle, may have fought for victory had the day been ended earlier, Kuchar argued.

“I was trying to set an example for Max,” he said.

“We were so far past when we should’ve stopped playing. We saw what Max did on hole 16 (four-putting for a double bogey) – they should’ve blown the horn there.

“I feel bad, the poor kid should’ve won this tournament. By me not playing, it may show Max he has an important shot to hit.”

Aaron Rai won at Sedgefield Country Club last yearCredit: GettyWhat is the Wyndham Championship prize money?

Kuchar duly returned to the course at 8am local time on Monday morning to play his 72nd hole.

He parred the 508-yard 18th to finish in a 10-way tie for 12th place at 11 under, seven strokes behind the winner (and player he could have accidentally struck with his tee-shot the night before), Rai.

His T12 finish also came with a $135,000 paycheck, a far cry from what looked to have been his earnings had he continued his first attempt, where a bogey would have dropped him to T21.

Crucially, Kuchar also moved up 10 spots to No. 103 in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

As a result, he maintained his tour card for this year after finishing the season in the Top 125.

It took Kuchar six minutes to complete the last hole on the Monday, after which he apologized to all the staff who had to return for him.

Kuchar claimed he wanted to help Greyserman in hopes that the latter would follow his lead in stoppingCredit: Getty

“Sorry that you guys had to come out this morning,” he said. “Nobody wants to be that guy, which I feel I turned into, the one guy that didn’t finish.

“I can’t tell you how many times I have been finished with a round [and] bummed out that we didn’t get to make the cut because somebody didn’t finish.

“I think had I been in the fairway with a normal shot, I probably would have attempted to finish, but I had just seen Max four-putt the 16th hole. If there was daylight on that green, does he four-putt? I don’t know, I don’t know.

“I did not realise Aaron Rai made birdie on the last. I’m figuring no way Max is going to finish out with a chance to win a tournament. So I said, well, Max will stop, I’ll stop, kind of make it easy on him.

“Again, it stinks to… nobody wants to be that guy that’s showing up today, one person, one hole. So apologies to the tournament, to everybody that had to come out.

“I know the ramifications, I know it stinks. Certainly I apologise to force everybody to come out here.”