SINGH WINS CHEVRON WORLD CHALLENGE WITH A FINAL BIRDIE

Age is starting to creep up on Vijay Singh, who turns 46 in February and spent the last three months taking the longest break of his life to let nagging injuries heal.
But against a world-class field Sunday at the Chevron World Challenge, Singh looked as good as new. With three straight birdies early on the back nine to get into contention and a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole, Singh closed with a 5-under 67 for a one-shot victory over Steve Stricker to finish off the most lucrative season of his career.

"When I show up and I know I can´t win the golf tournament, I´m going to quit," Singh said. "But as long as I show up and know that I can win, I´m going to keep playing."

Stricker came up short of the 18th green and had to scramble for par, closing with a 68 to earn $840,000, his biggest check this year.

Singh virtually vanished after capturing the FedExCup and its $10 million bonus on Sept. 28 at THE TOUR Championship. He went an entire month without hitting balls to rest a left arm wracked with tendinitis -- "I haven´t done that in forever," he said -- and only began practicing for the Del Webb Father-Son Championship earlier this month.

Age doesn´t stop him. Neither does rust.

Making it even more challenging, Singh showed up at Sherwood Country Club with a new driver. But he kept the ball in play on the weekend, the key around this course, and played the par 5s in 9 under during his 67-67 weekend.

Singh won $1.35 million and pushed his earnings for the year to over $18 million. That includes the $10 million bonus from the FedExCup, along with $6.6 million on the PGA TOUR to win the money title for the third time in six years.
"Very unexpected," said Singh, who finished at 11-under 277 to win Tiger Woods´ charity event for the first time. "I was just hanging in there. I figured if I shot 67 or 68, I would be right there with a chance."
Anthony Kim, the 54-hole leader, and Jim Furyk did their own charity work on a splendid afternoon of sunshine.
Kim was one shot out of the lead until making consecutive double bogeys, driving into the bushes on the 14th and hitting his 7-iron short and into the water on the par-3 15th. He birdied the next two holes, but by then it was over. Kim closed with a 73 and tied for third with Hunter Mahan, who shot 68.
Furyk, playing for the first time since the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda on Oct. 15, built a two-shot lead on the front nine until a pair of three-putt bogeys. He was tied with Singh after a 6-foot birdie on the 13th, and still only one shot behind from the middle of the fairway on the par-5 16th when it all came undone.