Zurich Classic headed to playoff

Jonas Blixt hits out of sand trap on the second hole during the final round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament’s new two-man team format Sunday at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La. (Associated Press)

Cameron Smith, of Brisbane, Australia, chips to the second green during the final round of the PGA Zurich Classic golf tournament's new two-man team format at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Sunday, April 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Scott Threlkeld)

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AVONDALE, La. — Kevin Kisner chipped in for eagle on the 18th hole as darkness fell Sunday night at the Zurich Classic, lifting himself and teammate Scott Brown into a Monday playoff with Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith.

Kisner’s chip-in — which skipped on a wet green, hit the pin and dropped in from nearly 95 feet — forced the 23-year-old Smith to make a 1½-foot birdie putt to remain in contention for his first PGA Tour victory.

Kisner and Brown shot a 12-under 60 in best-ball play, and Blixt and Smith had a 64 to finish at 27 under at the TPC Louisiana in the PGA Tour’s first team event in 36 years.

Blixt, a Swede, and Smith, an Australian, haven’t bogeyed a hole yet, and appeared to have the victory wrapped up before Kisner’s chip-in, which whipped the die-hard crowd around the final green into a frenzy while Kisner waved both arms in celebration.

The round finished in barely playable darkness because of a more than six-hour delay cause by thunderstorms.

Each player on the winning team will take home $1.02 million and earn 400 FedExCup points.

Blixt and Smith led after the second and third rounds, but had to overcome a remarkable surge by Brown and Kisner, who stormed into the lead with birdies on the first eight holes and 10 of their first 11.

Blixt made a 5-foot birdie putt on the 16th, and Smith did the same on 17th to put themselves back in the lead.

Smith then dropped a 57-yard approach on 18 within 2 feet, seemingly dooming Kisner and Brown to second place. Instead, both teams will be back at it at 8 a.m. on the 18th hole to start the playoff.

Kisner and Brown each have one PGA Tour victory. The 33-year-old Blixt has won twice, but not since 2013.

Jordan Spieth and Ryan Palmer combined to birdie 7 of 9 holes in the middle of their round to pull as close as 3 strokes back with three holes to play, but couldn’t quite overcome a deficit that had been as large as 6 strokes.

Speith’s 16-foot birdie attempt rolled around the lip of the cup and out on 16. That, combined with Spieth’s narrow miss from 3 feet on the 18th green Saturday, and Palmer’s two misses from within three feet in the third round, were shots that one of the favored pairs would have to regret in an otherwise strong, fourth-place performance.

LPGA Tour:

MILTON, Ga. — Nanna Koerstz Madsen rallied to beat former Stanford star Mariah Stackhouse in the Symetra Classic.

Koerstz Madsen, the 22-year-old Danish player ranked 79th in the world, closed with a 4-under 68 at Atlanta National Golf Club to beat Stackhouse (72) and Ecuador’s Daniela Darquea (67) by 2 strokes.

“I’m feeling very good right now. It feels great to win,” Koerstz Madsen said.