CARY: There is not much Vijay Singh has not accomplished on golf courses around the world.
The 63-year-old Fijian has won three major championships among his 34 PGA Tour titles and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
He added another trophy to his collection Sunday, prevailing at the SAS Championship in Cary, North Carolina, after shooting his third consecutive 3-under-par round of 69.
The victory made him the second-oldest player to win a tournament in PGA Tour Champions history.
Singh proved best at navigating the tough conditions Saturday and Sunday, finishing at 9-under 207.
He finished two strokes ahead of another golfing icon, South African Ernie Els, who also shot a 69 on Sunday to finish at 7 under.
Defending champion Alex Cejka of Germany and Tag Ridings tied for third at 6 under, three strokes back.
Singh shared the lead after two rounds with Tim O'Neal and Sweden's Freddie Jacobson. O'Neal, playing alongside Singh, shot a 1-over 73 to finish in a tie for fifth, while Jacobson carded a 2-over 74 and fell into a tie for 10th.
The victory was Singh's first in more than three years and his sixth on the Champions Tour.
He won the Ally Challenge in August 2023 but had not recorded a top-10 finish in 2026 heading into the weekend at Prestonwood Country Club.
"This one feels good right now. Hopefully it's going to boost me up for the next few events to come and for next year," Singh said.
"I think I kind of rededicated myself a little bit. I have been very lazy practicing. I've been working out, but I haven't been practicing very much. So I think I have to start doing that, which I started doing that again and I think that's why I won today, I guess. Just the extra work that got me through."
Singh's playing partners got off to better starts than the eventual champion. O'Neal reached 8 under with birdies at Nos. 1 and 4, while Jacobson also got to 8 under with birdies at Nos. 2 and 7. They led Singh by two strokes through seven holes, but the tournament turned on the ninth, when O'Neal made a double bogey and Jacobson a bogey.
Singh hit a quality approach shot and sank a short birdie putt to pull even with Jacobson at 7 under.
The Fijian took the lead for good with a chip-in birdie at No. 10 and extended his advantage to three strokes with another birdie at the par-5 12th.
Singh parred the remaining holes, while Els got no closer than two strokes after birdieing the 17th.
Singh was reunited with longtime caddie Wayne De Haas, and the two were on the same page about how to handle the chilly conditions.
"I told Wayne, I said, 'You know, if it's cold and windy, it's going to be tough playing today so we just have to play well, don't try to win the tournament in the first nine holes,'" Singh said. "I said, 'It's going to be a long day and let's stick in there,' and I played well on the back nine as well." --REUTERS
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