Singh wins in playoff
First senior major for big Fijian, 55
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — Vijay Singh hit a perfect approach to set up the winning playoff birdie. His celebration as the ball rolled into the cup was nowhere near as spectacular. Singh closed the door on Jeff Maggert on the second playoff hole Sunday to win the Constellation Senior Players Championship, giving an understated fist pump as his birdie putt dropped from about 2 feet. It was the first major title on the PGA Tour Champions for the Fijian, a past winner of the Masters and two PGA Championships. “It’s a little different,” Singh, 55, said. “It’s a senior major, you know, so it’s — any time you win a tournament no matter what it is, you feel accomplishment, and that’s what I feel. I feel like I played well, and it’s a win. A win is a win.”
Singh (67) and Maggert (68) finished at 20-under 268 at Exmoor Country Club. Brandt Jobe (66) was two strokes behind, while Jerry Kelly (64) and defending champion Scott McCarron (71) finished at 17 under. Maggert began the day tied with McCarron and Bart Bryant for the lead. Singhwas one shot back, but a crowd at the top of the leader board thinned out, turning it into a two-man race.
“I wasn’t really watching the scoreboard or Vijay,” Maggert said. “Like I said, I thought I needed to shoot 5, 6, 7under today to really kind of ice it. So I was really focused in on making seven or eight birdies today. ... You know, I thought some other scores would come into play there toward the end, but the last two or three groups looked like they were struggling, other than me and Vijay.”
Singh and Maggert posted identical scores through the first 15 holes. But Maggert bogeyed 16, and then missed chances to win in regulation and on the first playoff hole. Singh made just one bogey this week, and that came in the third round. He had five birdies Sunday and made some neat par saves to get into the playoff.