Western Kentucky’s Billy Tom Sargent holds the trophy after winning Vanderbilt’s Mason Rudolph Championship on Sunday in Franklin, Tenn.

Play was briefly halted Sunday at Vanderbilt’s Mason Rudolph Championship with Western Kentucky’s Billy Tom Sargent in the clubhouse leading by two strokes in Franklin, Tenn.

It turned out to be just a minor delay in one of the best individual performances in program history.

Sargent shot a 4-under 67 in a final round that featured multiple lightning delays, winning his fifth career title by two shots with a 12-under 201 total. That effort helped the Hilltoppers tie for fourth as a team in a field with 12 top-100 programs.

The win ties Sargent with former Hilltopper standout Brent Long for the most individual victories on record in program history with five.

His 201 total is also tied for the second-lowest 54-hole score in program history – one stroke behind Long’s 200 at the 2008 UTSA Roadrunner Intercollegiate.

Sargent finished ahead of 12 top-100 golfers, including six in the top 35 and three in the top 25.

He came into the final round two shots back of Marquette’s Austin Kendziorski after a second-round 65, which gave him the lowest 36-hole score for WKU on record at 134.

Kendziorski fell back with a 5-over 76 on Sunday, but Sargent had to hold off a host of contenders, including Vanderbilt’s Patrick Martin, the 21st-ranked player in the country.

With four holes to go, Martin pulled within one shot of Sargent, but the Hilltopper veteran birdied the par-4 second between three final pars to create separation.

Sargent said he wasn’t looking to be overly aggressive Sunday because of high winds, but he capitalized on opportunities on the green. After an early three-putt – his only of the tournament – he made a 20-footer for birdie on No. 12, two-putted for birdie on No. 14, sank a 60-footer for birdie on No. 17 and two-putted from about 70 feet on No. 18 for birdie.

Sargent finished third in the tournament with 15 total birdies.

Sargent had to wait to see if his impressive final round would count, as play was suspended for lightning with six groups on the course needing to finish one hole or less.

If they hadn’t been able to conclude the round, the tournament would have reverted to 36 holes and wiped out Sargent’s win. Instead, the skies cleared, and Sargent’s triumph stood.

It’s Sargent’s second win this season after the 2018 Pinetree Intercollegiate in the fall.

His victory propelled WKU to a tie for fourth in the 17-team field. The Hilltoppers finished with a 1-under 851 tally, its best 54-hole score since shooting an 847 at the 2008 Wyoming Cowboy Classic.

WKU finished tied with No. 67 Kentucky, No. 69 Coastal Carolina and Middle Tennessee. The Hilltoppers tied or ended up ahead of eight teams ranked ahead of them.

Fourth-ranked host Vanderbilt won the team title with an 823.