First Posted: 4/3/2012

HUMBLE, Texas Fairmont native William McGirt got Sunday off, but still was paid this weekend as he earned $10,380 at the Shell Houston Open.
McGirt, after opening with rounds of 70, 72 and 77, did not make what amounts to a third-round cut to play on Sunday. In 2008, the PGA Tour adopted a rule that says if more than 78 players make the cut, there will be another cut after the third round to the number closest to 70th place. That was done to make the field more manageable on Sundays.
McGirt, who was tied for 82nd, and 19 other players fell victim to the rule, and all were paid according to their position after Saturdays round.
McGirt, who has made eight of 10 cuts this year, has now won $254,507, good for 98th place on the money list. He is 85th in the FedEx Cup standings.
The Boiling Springs, S.C., resident is not eligible for this weeks Masters Tournament and will play next at the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, S.C., which begins play on April 12.
McGirt posted the following on his Facebook Page: Cant wait to get home and get some rest this week. Glad to finally have a week off.
Hunter Mahan won the Shell Open, shooting a final-round 1-under-par 71 to finish at 16 under par, a single shot ahead of Carl Pettersson, a former player at N.C. State. Mahan won $1,080,000 and Pettersson pocketed at $648,000. Louis Oosthuizen, who had led entered the final round, stumbled to a 75 and finished in third. Phil Mickelson was among a group of four players who tied for fourth place.