Singh Leads Woods After Shooting 61

All that hard work finally paid off Sunday for Vijay Singh, who shot the best round of his PGA Tour career and put himself in position to end another streak by Tiger Woods at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Singh played his first five holes in five under par, then finished with three straight birdies for a 10-under 61 to set the course record at the TPC of Boston and build a three-shot lead over Woods, who shot 67.

Two years ago, Singh went toe-to-toe with Woods in the final round on Labor Day and beat him by three shots to rise to No. 1, ending Woods’ record 264 consecutive weeks atop the world ranking.

Woods now has won four straight times on the PGA Tour, and Singh is poised to end that streak.

“It would be good,” Singh said. “I’m not going to be thinking about his streak or beating him. I’ve been playing long enough to know that you don’t go out there and worry about the guys who are playing with you. You worry about your own game and see what happens.”

There were no worries Sunday.

Singh’s score was even more impressive because of the miserable conditions in which he played. A light rain at the start of the third round never let up, coating the fairways with a thin layer of moisture, making it difficult to keep clubs dry. With little wind, however, Singh took dead aim at the flags and was never too far off.

“This is one of the worst conditions you want to play golf in because it gets everything wet,” Singh said. “I just kept on plodding.”

And he kept making birdies, finishing at 11-under 202.

Woods had a chance to get closer, if not catch him over the final two hours after Singh was done. Woods missed four birdie putts inside 15 feet on the back nine, including putts of 10 feet on No. 15 and eight feet on No. 17.

He looked out of sync over the closing holes, letting his hand fly from the club even on shots that turned out well. There was frustration even when he reached the par-five 18th in two, setting up a two-putt birdie that put him in the final group with Singh.

Justin Rose also birdied the 18th for a 69, leaving him tied with Woods at 205.

J.J. Henry, three weeks away from playing in his first Ryder Cup, shot 68 and was at 207, along with Shaun Micheel (68).

“Hopefully, I can play a little better than last time,” Woods said Sunday of his duel with Singh. “I just know that tomorrow, given that conditions are as soft as they are, I’m going to have to make some birdies.”

Circumstances were far different two years ago.

Singh was at a level few others have reached, winning nine times in 2004 and setting a PGA Tour record by winning nearly $11 million. Perhaps the most significant victory came at Deutsche Bank, where he beat Woods in the final round to become No. 1 in the world.

Now, the roles are reversed again. Woods has won six times this year and is so far ahead in the world ranking that he probably could take a year off and still be No. 1.

It was difficult for Singh not to look ahead to his showdown with Woods today.

“It seems so far away, two years ago, the way I was playing then and now,” Singh said. “I think this golf course ... brings back great memories, and hopefully, it’s the start of another great run.”