Vijay Singh captured his third major championship on Sunday, beating Justin Leonard and Chris DiMarco in a three-hole play-off at the 86th PGA Championship.
The 41-year-old Singh, who has won five tournaments this year and is the leading money winner, birdied the first hole of the play-off then clinched the win with a two-foot putt on the final hole.
”This is the biggest accomplishment in my career. This makes my year,” said Singh, who shot a four-over-par 76 and did not post his first birdie until the play-off.
Singh got off to a poor start on Sunday but seemed to find new life in the play-off. He was pleased with the victory but not with his early play.
”It is sad to see someone win it the way I did. My putter fell asleep on me. The course played two or three shots harder today,” said Singh.
It was the eighth straight time Singh had won after holding the lead heading into the final round.
Singh said the par-72 Whistling Straits course was a lot tougher than the first three rounds.
Singh, DiMarco and Leonard finished at eight-under 280 as DiMarco carded a 71 and Leonard a 75.
Leonard, of the United States, had a two-shot lead with three holes to play but his approach on number 18 landed in a small hollow basin left of the green and he had to settle for a bogey while playing partner Singh parred it.
Leonard bogeyed three of his last five holes on Sunday.
Asked how Singh could win a major championship with only one birdie, Leonard said: ”I doubt anybody would have thought that could happen.”
DiMarco birdied three straight around the turn and parred Whistling Straits’ two signature closing holes to get into the play-off.
”I hung in there this weekend and put up two good scores,” DiMarco said. ”To shoot 71 on this course on Sunday, I have to be proud of myself.”
Singh, who took a huge step toward being chosen player of the year, headed into the final round with a one-shot lead over Leonard.
”It looked ugly when you look at the score because it was four over. But it was a good four over for me,” Singh said.
”I was angry with myself for the way I played today. I knew I had to be aggressive in the play-off and so I went all out and played for it.”
Singh said his lone birdie may have come unusually late in the day, but it was the only one he needed to win.
”I waited all day for it and it was a good time when it came,” he said.
Playing over holes 10, 17 and 18 in the play-off, Singh turned his game up a notch, birdieing the first hole while the others settled for par.
His best shot of the day came on the par-three second play-off hole as his tee shot landed six feet from the cup. He missed the short birdie putt but it did not matter because he had already sent a message to the other two that he was on his game.
Singh clinched the victory with a two-footer on number 18 as he went birdie, par, par in the play-off.
”I just hung in there,” Singh said. ”I said, I am going to make a shot sooner or later.”
South Africa’s Ernie Els (73) and American Chris Riley (73) tied for fourth, one shot behind the play-off threesome.
KJ Choi, of South Korea, shot 70 and finished tied for sixth in a three-man group two shots adrift. Masters champion Phil Mickelson (74) was also tied for sixth.
Australians Robert Allenby and Adam Scott were three shots back at 283.
Tiger Woods, who scrambled to make the cut on Friday, shot one-over 73 and extended his drought in major championships to 0-10.
Woods finished at two-under 286, six shots back of Singh in a tie for 24th.
”I’m disappointed,” said Woods. ”On Thursday I putted atrociously and that put me behind the eight-ball. I had to make up a lot of room and I didn’t get it back.” — Sapa-AFP