Kuchar wins wild Barclays

PARAMUS, N.J. — Matt Kuchar stopped practicing for a playoff and walked over to the 18th green, planning to congratulate Martin Laird. A short time later, the celebration was for Kuchar.

His fortunes took quite a turn Sunday at the Barclays.

Kuchar gave the FedEx Cup playoffs a memorable start with a 7-iron out of the rough that sent his ball toward the back of the green, where it caught enough of the slope to turn to the left and roll to within 30 inches of the hole for birdie on the first playoff hole.

"The shot came out beautifully," he said. " … That was an exciting way to cap off this tournament."

Five back to start the round, Kuchar shot 5-under 66 to reach 12-under 272 and got into a playoff when Laird (71) three-putted for bogey on the final hole.

Kuchar had earned a spot on his first Ryder Cup team without a win this season. But this performance gave him one and put him atop the FedEx Cup standings. And his third career victory likely will move him to No. 10 in the world ranking.

"To win," he said, "it's an incredible year. There's nothing like the feeling of winning a PGA Tour golf tournament. You feel like you're the best player in the world for this week."

As for Laird? "Obviously, not the finish I was looking for," he said. "But I'm very proud of the way I played (Sunday)."

Tiger Woods (67), who started these playoffs at No. 112 in the standings, easily made the top 100 who advance to the second round next week at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Woods tied for 12th and is No. 65.

LPGA: Wie rolls

WINNIPEG — Michelle Wie closed with 2-under 70 for a three-shot victory at the Canadian Women's Open, marking her second career LPGA Tour win.

"I made a lot of crucial putts (Sunday)," said Wie, 20, who finished at 12-under 276 to edge Jiyai Shin (73), Kristy McPherson (66), Suzann Pettersen (69) and Jee Lee Young (69).

Seminole's Brittany Lincicome (69) tied for 15th at 4 under.

European Ryder Cup: Edoardo Molinari won the European Tour's Johnnie Walker Championship then became one of three captain's picks. Colin Montgomerie also chose Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald. The nine who qualified: Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Peter Hanson, Rory McIlroy, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Francesco Molinari, Edoardo's brother. U.S. captain Corey Pavin will announce his four picks Sept. 7. The Ryder Cup is Oct. 1-3 in Wales.

Champions: Bernhard Langer shot 3-under 69 to win the Boeing Classic in Snoqualmie, Wash. Langer, who earned his fifth tour victory this season, finished at 18-under 198, three-strokes ahead of Nick Price (71).

U.S. Amateur: Peter Uihlein, the world's top-ranked amateur, defeated David Chung 4 and 2 for the title in University Place, Wash. The Oklahoma State junior, 21, earned a trip to the U.S. Open and British Open and an invitation to the Masters.