PEBBLE BEACH, Feb 9: Fiji's Vijay Singh is closing in on Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Living up to his unofficial title as the most consistent golfer in the world
, Singh claimed his 16th PGA Tour crown Sunday, cruising to victory at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
The two-time major winner took the walk down the scenic 18th fairway already knowing he had won the US$954,000 top prize and moved into first place on the money list with US$1.966m.
Singh also moved into noted company by earning his 12th consecutive top-10 finish. Only Jack Nicklaus has more, having established the record of 14 straight in 1977. The record was not kept until 1970.
"It was a great win," Singh said. "I was a little, not nervous, but a little shaky at the start. I wasn't feeling comfortable with my golf swing, but I recovered really great. I made three straight birdies to start.
Singh shot a four-under-par 68 for a four-day total of 16-under 272. He started the day tied for the lead with Arron Oberholser at 13-under but birdied the first three holes and never looked back.
Now Singh is looking ahead - at Tiger Woods and the world's No. 1 ranking. "Well, I'm playing pretty good," Singh said. "My ranking doesn't say that; I'm No. 2. So in my mind, I just feel like I'm playing the best I can, and I'm not really too worried if I am the best player in the world or not.
"You know, I want to be No. 1 before I finish playing competitively. But it is a hard feat to take Tiger off the top because he is playing well as well. If I keep playing like I'm doing now, I feel I have a shot, maybe not this year, but in a year or two."
American Jeff Maggert's 69 left him at 13-under 275. He birdied the final two holes to edge compatriot Phil Mickelson for second place and earn 572,400 dollars.
Mickelson closed with a 69 to take third. He jumped into second place on the money list behind Singh with 1.337 million dollars in just three events. Oberholser shot a 76 and tied for fourth with Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada and K.J. Choi of South Korea at nine-under 279.
Maggert finished just 86th on the money list in 2003 but is looking at his improved game to get him back where he wants to be. "I have worked really hard at my game last year and over the winter time," he said. "And I tell you, missing the first two cuts, I was scratching my head a little bit because I really felt like I was playing a lot better than that."
Maggert started the day at 10-under, three shots off the lead. He had six birdies but double-bogeyed the 16th hole and bogeyed the ninth to lose his chance.
