The 2016 Zurich Classic of New Orleans won't be 72 holes and it won't end on Sunday. That's about all we're assured.
The PGA Tour announced Sunday after the suspension of Round 3 play that they hope to complete the tournament as a 54-hole event. However, weather in the New Orleans area on Monday may make that impossible. In that case, the tournament, under one specific scenario, could be shortened to 36 holes.
Since the tournament has gone to Monday, the PGA Tour states that at least half the weekend field has to complete 54 holes by the end of Monday play. If that happens, and 41 of the 82 players who made the cut finish Round 3 on Monday, then the rest of the field must complete the tournament no matter how many days into the future it takes. However, if less than 41 players finish Round 3 on Monday, then the Tour will declare the event official after 36 holes and the second-round leader, Brian Stuard, will be declared the champion.
If the Tour declares the event complete after 36 holes, then Stuard's win will be considered unofficial in the PGA Tour record books, just like Adam Scott's 36-hole win in the 2005 Northern Trust Open (nee Nissan Open) doesn't count toward his PGA Tour career. The Tour will, however, pay out the full purse and give out FedEx Cup points based on the results if the tournament is complete after 36 holes.
Regardless of who wins and in how many holes, this will be the first time a PGA Tour event has been shortened to 54 holes since the 2013 Tournament of Champions, which was won by Dustin Johnson.
