Singh Is on the Money Record

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

Singh broke the PGA Tour single-year money record Woods set while winning three majors in 2000, holding off fast-finishing Stewart Cink to win the 84 Lumber Classic by one shot Sunday at Farmington, Pa., 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,” he 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 last 16 events.

In only three weeks, Singh has ended Woods’ five-year-plus run as the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer and taken away one of Woods’ lines in the PGA record book. Woods pulled out of the 84 Lumber after unexpectedly committing last week.

“It’s ridiculous the way he’s playing right now,” Chris DiMarco, who tied for third with Pat Perez and Zach Johnson, said of Singh.

“He’s going nuts,” John Daly said.

Still, Singh willingly concedes this: As good as 2004 has been to him, it’s 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 three-under 69, his third round in the 60s in four days, left him at 15-under 273. Cink went 67-65 over the final two rounds to finish at 14-under 274 despite trailing by 10 strokes after the second round.

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Craig Stadler delivered some good news to the rest of the Champions Tour: He won’t be playing next week.

Stadler became the first player in more than six years to win three consecutive tournaments on the senior circuit, making birdies on the final three holes to win the SAS Championship at Cary, N.C., with a tournament-record 17-under-par 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 a six-under 66 to avoid any real challenge from Jenkins, who shot a 68. Jose Maria Canizares (66) and Doug Tewell (67) tied for third at eight under.

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Christina Kim made five birdies on the back nine and shot a six-under 65 to win the Longs Drugs Challenge at Auburn, Calif., by one shot over Karrie Webb for her first LPGA victory.

Kim, who was the first-round leader with a 64, finished with an 18-under 266 at The Ridge Golf Club, 30 miles east of Sacramento.

Anna Acker-Macosko shot an 11-under 60, one shot off of Annika Sorenstam’s tour record of 59.

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Henrik Stenson of Sweden shot a six-under-par 66 to win The Heritage by four strokes over Carlos Rodiles of Spain at Woburn, England. Stenson birdied four straight holes beginning at the 14th to claim his first European Tour victory in 3 1/2 years with a total of 19-under 269.

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Too Hot to Handle

Vijay Singh hasn’t slowed down since taking over the No. 1 spot in the World Golf Rankings. His results in his last six tournaments:

*--* Event Finish Money Buick Open 1 $810,000 PGA Championship 1* $1,125,000 WGC-NEC Champ. T32 $51,000 Deutsche Bank Champ. 1 $900,000 Canadian Open 1* $810,000 84 Lumber Champ. 1 $756,000

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* -- Won in a playoff.