The Simmons Bank Championship is the middle of three postseason events on the PGA Tour Champions. It's a chance to collect some hardware and some money, but for many, it's the last chance to gather precious points in the Charles Schwab Cup points standings.

Only the top-36 finishers advance to season finale, the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, and one of them is Sunday's winner Darren Fichardt. In fact, the South African was one of just three golfers who started the week outside the top 36 who managed to climb inside the cutoff. He started the week in the 46th spot and moved up to 17th.

And he did all this in amazing fashion.

Fichardt and Zach Johnson were tied at 20 under at the par-5 18th hole and Johnson nudged ahead with a birdie to cap an 8-under round of 64 to finish at 21 under. But Fichardt did him one better, making eagle at the last to finish 22 under, also shooting 8-under 64, to snatch the victory away.

That makes it a trio of goodness for Fichardt: his first PGA Tour Champions win, his first trip to the playoff finale and a 2027 tour card on the senior circuit. All 36 golfers who qualify for the finale secure job status for next season and Fichardt will be one of them.

What a week for a guy who had to Monday qualify three times this season. He managed to parlay those into some top 10s, which earned him more playing opportunities. And now this.

Fichardt made his move in the second round of the Simmons when he fired a red-hot 61 to zoom up the leaderboard. Sunday, he started the final round with a one-shot lead over Johnson. Those two seized control of the tournament at the turn and it was two-horse race down the stretch, each golfer matching birdie for birdie before Fichardt hit the jackpot at the last.

As for Johnson, he was seeking his seventh win in his PGA Tour Champions rookie season. He will head into the Schwab finale No. 2 in points. He would have overtaken Stewart Cink had he won the Simmons.

Jerry Kelly shot 67 to finish solo third at 14 under. George McNeill, Soren Kjeldsen and Scott Hend tied for fourth at 13 under.

Michael Block tied for 10th but could only move up to 42nd in points, so his season has come to an end. Cink also tied for 10th, good enough to hold onto that top spot in the points. Steven Alker also tied for 10th.