Red-hot putting at Deutsche Bank brings Singh second straight win

9/2/2008

Another victory for Vijay Singh is turning the FedExCup into another snoozer.

Singh made three long birdie putts and closed with an 8-under 63 to win the Deutsche Bank Championship on Monday for his second straight victory in the PGA Tour's playoff system. That gave him such a big lead that he could win the $10 million prize without even showing up at the Tour Championship.

Attribute this to the power of positive thinking.

Singh, who has long struggled with the putter, convinced himself last week that he was the best putter in golf when he won The Barclays in a three-man playoff.

He made a few more believers on Labor Day at the TPC Boston.

Singh rolled in a 35-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole to stretch his lead to three shots, then raised the belly putter like a trophy when he holed a 60-foot birdie putt on the next hole. He capped off his amazing run with a 35-foot birdie on the 17th hole.

Any doubters?

Weir, who had a one-shot lead until a double bogey on the ninth hole, simply couldn't keep up. He closed with a 71 to finish five shots behind, dropping his record to 1-9 on the PGA Tour when he has at least a share of the 54-hole lead.

Ernie Els flew too many greens and made too many bogeys to make a charge, closing with a 70 to tie for third with Camilo Villegas, who shot a 73.

The big Fijian was simply unbeatable in winning the Deutsche Bank Championship for the second time in four years, and winning consecutive times for the first time since 2004. Along with making the three birdie putts a combined 130 feet long, Singh chipped in for eagle from 30 feet on the second hole.

Weir remained in control with two birdies, but he came undone when his approach to the par-4 ninth sailed left into thick rough. He chipped over the firm green, chipped 15 feet past the hole to the fringe and made double bogey.

Herron's biggest week also allowed him to keep playing. The top 70 in the FedExCup standings advance to the third round of the playoffs in St. Louis this week at the BMW Championship. Herron started the week at No. 99, but his tie for fifth moved him all the way up to No. 48.

Leaderboard – Finish:

1.    Vijay Singh                      FIJ  64 66 69 63 262 -22
2.    Mike Weir                      CAN  61 68 67 71 267 -17
3.    Ernie Els                         SAF  66 65 69 70 270 -14
      Camilo Villegas               COL  68 66 63 73 270 -14
5.    Tim Heron                      USA  72 67 67 65 271 -13
      Sergio Garcia                   ESP  67 64 68 72 271 -13
7.   Chad Campbell                USA  67 70 69 66 272 -12
      Justin Leonard                 USA  69 70 66 67 272 -12
      Jim Furyk                        USA  66 65 69 72 272 -12
10. Steve Marino                    USA  66 66 71 70 273 -11
      Ken Duke                        USA  66 67 70 70 273 -11
      Ben Crane                       USA  72 65 63 73 273 -11

Source: AP, PGA Tour