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Singh is in the money

 
Published Sept. 27, 2004|Updated Aug. 28, 2005

Vijay Singh is running out of firsts to take from Tiger Woods.

Singh broke the PGA Tour single-year money record Woods set while winning three majors in 2000, holding off a fast-finishing Stewart Cink to win the 84 Lumber Classic by one shot Sunday for his third consecutive victory.

Singh's eighth championship this year pushed his earnings to $9,455,566 in 26 events, surpassing the $9,188,321 Woods made while winning nine times in 20 events in 2000. With Singh expecting to play four more times, he could become the first to win $10-million in one year.

"I'm going to try," Singh said. "It's a run I hope never ends. I'm enjoying it so much and I feel like every time I enter a tournament, I should win it. I'm really proud of the way I'm playing right now."

Singh led from start to finish for his fifth victory in six tournaments, the best such streak since Woods won six in a row to end 1999 and start 2000. Singh has won seven times in his past 16 events.

In only three weeks, Singh has ended Woods' five year-plus run as the world's No. 1 golfer and taken one of Woods' lines in the PGA record book.

"It's ridiculous the way he's playing right now," said former Florida star Chris DiMarco, who tied for third with Pat Perez and Zach Johnson.

"He's going nuts," John Daly said.

Still, Singh willingly concedes this: As good as 2004 has been to him, it is not comparable to Woods' 2000 because Woods won the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA. Singh's only major win came at the PGA.

"Tiger won three majors, so I don't really look at it that way," Singh said. "I'm just trying to enjoy this. I don't think I can play any better than I am right now."

Singh's 3-under 69, his third round in the 60s in four days, left him 15-under 273. Cink went 67-65 over the final two rounds to finish at 274 despite trailing by 10 after the second round.

Cink, five off the lead coming in, had five straight birdies from No. 7 through No. 11 to make a move, but bogey on the par-4 14th dropped him three back. Singh then held on despite a bogey on the par-4 18th and Cink birdies on No. 17 and 18.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Craig Stadler delivered some good news to the rest of the tour: He won't be playing this week. Stadler became the first in more than six years to win three straight tournaments on the senior circuit, making birdies on the final three holes to win the SAS Championship in Cary, N.C., with a tournament-record 17-under 199. He beat Tom Jenkins by six strokes.

"I guess you get to the point where you expect things, you expect to hit good shots," Stadler said. "The more time you spend in the so-called zone, the easier it is to live up to the expectations."

Stadler closed with 6-under 66 to avoid any real challenge from Jenkins, who shot 68. Jose Maria Canizares (66) and Doug Tewell (67) tied for third at 8 under.

"I told him on the 18th green, after he made his putt, that he's too good. He needs to go back to the regular tour," Jenkins said.

Stadler won the JELD-WEN Tradition and the First Tee Open in his past two starts. In 1997-98, Gil Morgan also won three consecutive events. When Stadler returns to action in two weeks at a tournament near Houston, he could become the first to win four in a row since Chi Chi Rodriguez in 1987.

Since he turned 50 in June 2003 to become eligible for the senior tour, Stadler has eight victories, including five this season. Jenkins moved within four with birdie at No. 9, but Stadler responded with two at 10 and 11.

LPGA TOUR: Christina Kim made a charge on the back nine, shooting 6-under 65 at the Longs Drugs Challenge in Auburn, Calif., for a one-shot victory over Karrie Webb and her first LPGA win. Kim, the first-round leader, made five birdies on the back side in finishing 18-under 266.

Webb had a chance to force a playoff on the final hole, but missed a 7-foot birdie. Webb shot a 64 that included two birdies on the front side and an eagle to move into contention. She shared the lead until Kim's birdie on the 17th.

Third-round leader Leta Lindley, who entered a shot ahead in search of her first LPGA victory, double bogeyed the 11th and shot 76. Anna Acker-Macosko had the best round, shooting 11-under 60 and making a run at Annika Sorenstam's tour record of 59. She finished 13 under.

EUROPEAN PGA: Henrik Stenson shot 6-under 66 to win The Heritage by four strokes over Carlos Rodiles (65) in Woburn, England. Stenson, the overnight leader, birdied four successive holes beginning at the 14th to claim his first tour win in 3{ years. Stenson finished 19-under 269.