Brandt Snedeker began the Wyndham Championship with history - and ended it with a victory.

Snedeker earned his ninth PGA Tour title Sunday, three days after opening with an 11-under 59.

He closed with a 65 for a three-stroke victory in the regular-season finale, breaking a tie with C.T. Pan on the final hole with a birdie and Pan's double bogey in the group ahead.

Snedeker finished at 21-under 259 for his first win since 2016 and his second at the tournament, but first at Sedgefield Country Club, to close what he called "the most stressful week I've ever had in professional golf."

"Shooting 59 on Thursday, your expectations go through the roof," Snedeker said, also expressing pride that he could "cap it off the way we did today, to play pretty much a flawless round of golf."

Pan shot a 66 to tie for second with Webb Simpson. Simpson matched his career-best with a 62.

Snedeker opened the tournament with the 59 that made him the first tour player this year and just the 10th ever to break 60, then on the final day played 29 holes at five under to seal it. He's the fifth tour player to shoot in the 50s and then win the tournament.

He was never in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in his career, but the victory gave him a huge jump on the points list. He climbed 50 spots to No. 30 on the list, after arriving at 80th - which would have been his lowest finish.

"To be perfectly frank, I didn't have any chance at all" to win the FedEx Cup before this week, the 2012 playoff champion said. "After this week, I feel like I have a chance."

The other subplot at Sedgefield was the last-minute push for the playoffs, which begin next week at The Northern Trust in New Jersey with the top 125 players qualifying.

With every player who was between Nos. 122-127 missing the cut, there figured to be plenty of movement near the bubble.

Aaron Baddeley had an eagle on the par-5 15th and two front-nine birdies in a round of 66 on Sunday to finish at 12 under in a tie for 24th and 132nd position overall.

Baddeley's fellow Australian Cameron Percy closed with a 65, which included an eagle at the par-5 fifth and five birdies, to grab a share of 33rd at 11 under and end in 168th position.

Sergio Garcia will miss the playoffs for the first time in his career after winding up 131st on the points list.