Glen Day, after a 90-minute wait watching contenders with major titles try and pass him, rolled in a 35-foot putt on the first playoff hole today to win the MCI Classic, his first PGA Tour victory.

Payne Stewart, trying for his third victory at Harbour Town, missed an 18-footer to extend the playoff.

"I finished so much earlier than everybody else, I didn't think I had a prayer," said Day, who won $450,000. "I told my caddie to get the extra clubs because when somebody went ahead, I wanted to leave."

Day started 10 groups ahead of the leaders in the final round. He shot a 5-under-par 66, but didn't think his 10-under 274 total would hold up.

Why should it? Former U.S. Open champions Stewart, Lee Janzen and Corey Pavin were all on the course and within striking distance of Day. Jeff Sluman and Bob Tway, both with PGA Championship titles, were making runs.

And third-round leader Chris Perry, who gets his grit from his father, former major league pitcher Jim Perry, seemingly had the tournament wrapped up with his fifth birdie of the back nine.

But one by one, they fell away.

Pavin, playing his best golf in almost three years, missed a short par putt on No. 16.

Janzen made bogeys on two of the final three holes.

Sluman, who was part of the three-man playoff, couldn't make a birdie after tying Day with three holes left.

Perry was in the most enviable position after his birdie on 16 moved him back in front at 11 under. But he bounced a ball over the 17th green for one bogey and barely missed a 25-footer for par on 18.

"I'm disappointed because I played really well," said Perry, who shot a 72. "I was in control of my emotions all day long."

Stewart shot a 70 and Sluman a 67 to share second. Perry finished at 275, one stroke in front of Pavin, who had a 69, Nolan Henke, 70, and John Huston, 72.

Janzen and Tway were tied at 7-under 277.

Day sat in the tournament lounge after his round. He sipped soda and looked more like a golfer expecting a shower than a playoff. But he dusted off his game as Stewart finished his round.

On the playoff hole, Day's drive was long and his approach rolled about 35 feet past the cup. It took him only a few seconds to set up and curl in the putt for his first PGA Tour victory.

"I was just lucky I hit it on a true line," he said.

Stewart's putt also looked true. But it stayed just on the outside.

"I was proud of the way I spotted out today," Stewart said. "But how about Glen Day, shooting a 5 under then going out to birdie the first playoff hole?"

Stewart won his second MCI title in 1990 by defeating Larry Mize and Steve Jones. It was Harbour Town's first playoff since Tway took the crown in 1985 over Henke and David Frost.

Divots: Tway and Peter Jacobsen both had 2s on par-4s in the final round. Tway jumped to two shots behind the leaders when his second shot landed in the cup on No. 9. Jacobsen turned his trick on 16. ... Nick Faldo, in the midst of his best tournament this season, struggled Sunday. His round included a 9 on No. 8, a par-4, where he hit two drives out of bounds. Faldo finished 1 over after his 76. ... Tiger Woods ended his first MCI with a 1-under 70 and was tied for 18th.