Big Day for Singh and Woods

Vijay Singh may have defeated Ernie Els in a race atop the leaderboard in the Buick Open at Grand Blanc, Mich., on Sunday.

But Tiger Woods won the money contest, setting a record for PGA earnings in a season.

Singh took charge one day after Els held a third-round lead and said the Buick Open was his to win or lose.

When Els backed up to the pack, it cleared the way for Singh to earn his second victory of the year.

“I thought Ernie would win this today,” Singh said. “But after the front nine, we were all bunched up. So on the back, I just got my tail up.”

While Els, the reigning U.S. Open champion, could produce one birdie, Singh played flawlessly, shooting a six-under 66 for a 15-under 273 total. That was four strokes better than six others, including Els, who closed with a 74.

Singh, who became the tour’s seventh multiple winner this season, earned $270,000 of the $1.5 million purse.

Woods finished tied for eighth after shooting a four-under 68 in final round for a 10-under 278 total. But he earned $43,500 and his total of $1,821,895 for the year breaks the PGA Tour mark of $1,780,159 set last year by Tom Lehman.

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The joy of Dana Quigley’s first professional victory was quickly tempered with the news of his father’s death.

Quigley made a 2 1/2-foot par putt on the third playoff hole to defeat Jay Sigel and win the $1-million Senior PGA Tour Northville Classic at Jericho, N.Y.

After the presentation ceremony, Quigley received a phone call from his brother, Paul, informing him that 82-year-old Wallace Quigley had succumbed to cancer only hours earlier.

“I saw him on Thursday and seriously thought about withdrawing from the tournament,” Quigley said through tears. “I didn’t win it soon enough for him. I wished he could have seen me win.”

Quigley, 50, who made the field as a Monday qualifier, shot a two-under 70 and finished with a 54-hole total of 12-under 204. Sigel, who bogeyed two of the final four holes, shot a 66.

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Deb Richard shot a five-under 67 and held off a late charge from Chris Johnson for a one-stroke victory in the LPGA Friendly’s Classic at Agawam, Mass.

Johnson, who closed with a 68, eagled the 17th--a par five--to go 10 under, and made par on No. 18 to finish with a 278 total.

Richard then had trouble on No. 18 and had to make a one-foot putt for bogey, but it was enough to keep her at 11-under and avoid a playoff.

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The U.S. team reclaimed the Walker Cup from Britain-Ireland with remarkable ease at Scarsdale, N.Y.

After a near-sweep of the morning matches, the United States needed to win one point in the eight afternoon singles matches to reclaim the Cup it surrendered when the Tiger Woods-led team lost, 14-10, in Wales two years ago.

That point came when John Harris, the veteran star of the U.S. team, won the 13th hole to close out Michael Brooks, 6 and 5.

The match gave the U.S. team an insurmountable 12 1/2-4 1/2 lead with seven matches still on the course.