Stricker finishes with flair

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This article was published 08/09/2009 (6178 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NORTON, Mass. — Steve Stricker can build a strong case for the Deutsche Bank Championship as the biggest victory of his career.

It was his first win with Tiger Woods in the tournament. His third victory of the season moved him up to a career-high No. 2 in the world ranking. And he replaced Woods atop the FedEx Cup standings.

What satisfied Stricker the most, however, was how he won.

In a wild Labour Day finish on the TPC Boston, where a half-dozen players came to the par-5 18th hole with hopes of winning, Stricker finished with back-to-back birdies for a 4-under 67 and a one-shot victory Monday.

“Knowing I had to make a couple of birdies and actually doing it means a lot,” he said.

The names kept changing atop the leaderboard throughout the back nine, and Stricker only found comfort from seeing his name in the mix. Jason Dufner was the first player to break out of the tie with a two-putt birdie on the 18th.

Standing in the 17th fairway, Stricker heard another cheer through the trees and figured it was Scott Verplank making birdie — his fourth in a row — to tie for the lead.

That’s when Stricker took over.

He knocked in a 15-foot birdie on the 17th, helped by getting a good read on the tricky putt from Retief Goosen.

Then, he split the middle of the 18th fairway and hit a hybrid just over the green. He hit a delicate chip to tap-in range for the win.

“It was a tough day. There was a lot of guys in the mix,” Stricker said. “And I just found a way to get it done.”

Stricker finished at 17-under 267 and earned US$1.35 million. He also built a 909-point lead over Woods in the FedEx Cup with two tournaments remaining.

Because the points are reset after next week in Chicago, Stricker is assured of being no worse than the No. 2 seed in the Tour Championship with a chance to win the $10 million prize.

“It’s been a blast, and I want to keep riding it out,” Stricker said, his voice cracking. His only failure Monday was winning a PGA Tour event and trying to get through an interview without crying. This makes him 0 for 7.

Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont., and Calgary’s Stephen Ames finished tied for 23rd at 9-under.

Dufner, who had to go through two stages of Q-school last year, two-putted from 40 feet for birdie at a 65 to become the first player to post at 16-under 268.

Verplank birdied his last four holes, and his eagle putt from the fringe grazed the edge of the cup. He wound up with a 67 and thought he might be headed for a playoff.

About the only player not in the mix was Woods, although he set the tone for the wild finish by tying a tournament record with a 30 on the front nine and getting within one shot of the leaders — even though they were still on the range — until settling for a 63.

His early departure didn’t make it easier on anyone, not with five major champions among the top 10.

“I knew that Strick would be tough to catch today,” Verplank said. “He’s not Tiger, but you know what? He may be the second-best player, at least on this tour. The guy is really playing good. So I knew he was going to be tough to catch. And it turns out he was.”

Padraig Harrington shot 68 and tied for fourth with Masters champion Angel Cabrera and Dustin Johnson.

— The Associated Press