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Singh cashes in at Barclays

Fijian sees off Garcia and Sutherland in play-off

Last updated: 25th August 2008

Singh poses with the spoils

I enjoyed that.

Vijay Singh
Quotes of the week

Final Leaderboard

V Singh (Fij) -8 (won at second extra hole)
S Garcia (Spn) -8
K Sutherland (US) -8
B Curtis (US) -7
M Goggin (Aus) -7
K Streelman (US) -7
P Casey (Eng) -6
M Laird (Sco) -6
J Leonard (US) -6
N Thompson (US) -6
M Weir (Can) -6

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Vijay Singh prevailed at the second extra hole to claim his 33rd PGA Tour victory at the Barclays, the opening tournament of the FedEx Cup.

A play-off was required after the Fijian finished alongside Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland at eight-under-par at the Ridgewood Country Club, New Jersey.

Sutherland was eliminated at the first extra hole, the 18th, and a wayward drive from Garcia at the second, the 17th, gave the Spaniard too much to do to and opened the door for Singh to claim his second win in four weeks, having triumphed at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the start of August.

Singh, playing in the last group of the day alongside third-round leader Kevin Streelman, had a chance to secure the title in regulation but missed a 17-foot putt on the 18th green.

He had to settle for a one-under round of 70, an effort that was matched by Garcia, while Sutherland - chasing a maiden title in his 14th year on the PGA Tour - fired a three-under 68 to make the play-off a three-way affair.

Sudden death

The trio returned to the par-four 18th - Singh and Garcia both rolled in lengthy putts for birdie to end Sutherland's hopes.

At the par-five 17th, the second extra hole, Garcia drove into the left rough under overhanging tree branches. His approach from there came to rest at the foot of a tree on the right with no way out but backwards or sideways.

Singh hit his approach from the fairway onto the front of the green, 20ft from the flag. In the meantime, Garcia was finding an alternative route from his problem by consulting a rules official about an animal hole affecting his stance.

His enquiry earned a free drop and a clear sight of the green, but his approach came up short and, after chipping onto the green and just past the hole with his fourth shot, Singh was left with two putts for victory.

The 45-year-old used both, sealing this title for the fourth time in his career with a tap-in birdie.

"Well, it was pretty close all day," said Singh . "And nobody had a two-shot lead at any point. It was either seven-under or eight-under or six-under.

Tough

"It was a tough day. It wasn't easy to get close to the hole, so birdie was difficult to come by. It was drying out a lot and you've got to play conservative on some holes.

"It was a tough day, but it was a great playoff - I enjoyed that."

"I wasn't really concerned about him," he added about Garcia's free drop at the second play-off hole.

"I just wanted to know why he got a drop - there was obviously a mole there and he was burrowing at that moment, you could see him popping out!

"I was just playing, and I was really focused on what I was doing and he actually hit a great third shot.

"You know, it's hard. He's a good friend of mine. It's hard to see your friend not win, especially if he's playing against you. But somebody has to win."

Tense

Streelman, Paul Casey, Ben Curtis and Mike Weir had also had at least a share of the lead at one or more points on a tense final day.

With 22 players starting the day within four shots of Streelman's eight-under lead, the tournament was wide open.

Englishman Casey was looking to lock down one of European Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo's two wild cards for September's biennial fixture with a strong performance.

He started well with a birdie at the third to join Garcia at the top of the leaderboard but immediately gave it back with a bogey at the next.

And, after a run of eight straight pars, Casey's challenge faded with consecutive bogeys at the 13th and 14th and he eventually carded a one-over 72 to finish in a tie for seventh at six-under.

Ben Curtis, Streelman and Mathew Goggin of Australia tied for fourth place at seven-under, while Scotland's Martin Laird, Americans Justin Leonard and Nicholas Thompson and Canada's Weir shared seventh with Casey.