By John Nicholson
August 26th 2008 @ 2:08am
Vijay Singh wins PGA event in dramatic playoff
Vijay Singh has edged Sergio Garcia on the second playoff hole today to claim the PGA event for a record fourth time.
The 45-year-old Fijian closed with a one-under 70 to match Garcia (70) and Kevin Sutherland (68) at eight-under 276 on the sun-baked Ridgewood Country Club course, the first-time site after 41 seasons at Westchester Country Club.
Australian Matthew Goggin (67) was one shot short of making the playoff and finished equal fourth on seven-under 277 with third-round leader Kevin Streelman and Ben Curtis.
Stuart Appleby shot an even par 71 in his final round to finish four shots off the lead.
Singh, the 1993, 1995 and 2006 winner at Westchester, earned 11,000 points in the US PGA Tour playoff opener to take the lead with 109,500 points - 5,125 ahead of second-place Garcia. The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational winner three weeks ago, Singh also earned $US1.26 million ($A1.45 million) for his 33rd tour victory.
Garcia and Singh made long birdie putts on the first extra hole, the 472-yard 18th framed by a canyon of trees, with Garcia rolling a 27-footer and Singh matching him moments later from 26 feet. After driving into the right rough, Sutherland was on the back fringe in three when Garcia and Singh made their birdie putts.
Garcia and Singh then moved to the 577-yard, par-5 17th. Garcia hooked his drive into the left rough, just feet from towering trees. With Singh in the middle of the fairway, Garcia hit his second shot behind a tree in the right rough. Singh then hit a 267-yard approach onto the green, about 20 feet long and right.
Because the gnarly ground around Garcia’s ball was ruled abnormal, he was able to take a drop that allowed him to get a clear shot to the green. He advanced the ball to near the front about 30 feet from the hole and nearly holed his chip.
Singh then rolled his 20-foot eagle putt within inches for a tap-in birdie.
Third-round leader Kevin Streelman (72), Ben Curtis (68) and Mathew Goggin (67) tied for fourth at 7 under, and Martin Laird (67), Justin Leonard (67), Nicholas Thompson (67), Mike Weir (72) and Paul Casey (72) followed at 6 under.
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