Singh secures playoff win at Barclays
IN: News | US PGA | The Barclays (2008) | Round Four | by Bruce Young | 25 Aug 2008
World number five, Vijay Singh, has defeated Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland in a playoff to claim the fourth Barclays title of his career and his second victory of the year.
It would be fair to say that Vijay Singh is on a rollercoaster with his game at present. Surrounding two wins in his last five starts have been three missed cuts but with wins at the WGC Bridgestone and now the Barclays he can afford the occasional hiccup. The lead that he now enjoys in the race for the US$10 million first prize in the FedEx Cup Playoffs will also make his inconsistency a lot easier to take.
Singh’s playoff victory over Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland earned the Fijian US$1.26 million and takes Singh to second place on the PGA Tour money list with US$5,192,531.
The Fijian produced two brilliant shots to 20 feet at the second of the playoff holes, the par five 17th, to edge out a determined Garcia after Sutherland had been eliminated at the first extra hole when he was unable to get up and down.
The tournament developed into a great battle over the closing nine holes with as many as 12 players within two shots of Garcia’s lead with just eight holes to play. Garcia’s magnificent 4 iron to 2 feet at the par three 10th established that narrow lead and he held off all challengers until Kevin Sutherland joined him with a birdie at the 16th and then Vijay Singh made it three in the lead with two stunning shots to the par five 17th.
Sutherland made a superb par save at the last and that left Garcia with a birdie putt from 15 feet to take the lead outright. He hit a poor putt and so he and Sutherland were in the clubhouse at 8 under. Singh, who was playing in the group behind, created one last winning opportunity in regulation play when his approach at the 18th finished 16 feet left of the hole but he missed, just after his playing partner Kevin Streelman extinguished his last opportunity when he missed a similar length putt to join those at eight under.
In the playoff Sutherland was first to go when he made a mess of the first extra hole while both Singh and Garcia birdied from 20 feet. Garcia’s putt especially was impressive as it had to climb a ridge and then slide a little from the left. Singh was able to follow him in. At the second extra hole it was back to the par five 17th and after a pulled tee shot, Garcia was always under pressure. Singh’s fairway wood second was almost a replica of his play in regulation and when he two putted for birdie it was all over.
Garcia continues his far greater consistency in season 2008. This was his third runner up placing in his last five starts and while perhaps frustrated that he has been unable to convert such good play into victories, he can rest happy in the knowledge that his putting which has been such an issue for him over such a long period is very much on track. He led the GIR putting stats this week and was second in all round putting, further confirming that the work he has done with putting guru Stan Utley is paying off.
Garcia’s regular contention in tournaments worldwide of late is great for the game as there are few other players that provide the viewer, either at the golf course or via television, with the same level of feedback Garcia does. Long may it continue.
Mathew Goggin shared fourth with Ben Curtis and rookie Kevin Streelman, the Australian securing a cheque for US$289,000 and taking his earnings this season to US$1,327,000.
Stuart Appleby finished 19th, John Senden and Jason Day 31st, Robert Allenby 38th and Steve Elkington 55th.
For Jason Day it was a disappointing finish to what had been an encouraging week. He played with Garcia in round four and never really got going. Day is still US$300,000 short of where he needs to be if he is to retain full status on the PGA Tour but after a few months of struggles there were at least encouraging signs.
The FedEx Cup now moves to the TPC Boston where the Deutsche Bank Championship will be played. The leading 120 players on the FedEx Cup points table will line up with Vijay Singh now leading the race by 5,200 points over Garcia.
Australians who have managed to stay alive are Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby in 12th and 13th place respectively, Mathew Goggin 26th, Geoff Ogilvy 32nd, John Senden 41st, Steve Elkington 46th, Adam Scott 47th, Rod Pampling 58th, Aaron Baddeley 73rd, Peter Lonard 84th, Jason Day 96th and Nick O’Hern 100th.
Nathan Green has just missed out in 22nd place.
