KOHLER, Wisconsin, 17 August 2004 — Vijay Singh captured his third major championship on Sunday, beating Justin Leonard and Chris DiMarco in a three-hole playoff at the 86th PGA Championship.

The 41-year-old Singh, who has won five tournaments this year and is the leading money winner, birdied the first hole of the playoff then clinched the win with a two-foot putt on the final hole.

“This is the biggest accomplishment in my career. This makes my year,” said Singh, who shot a four-over par 76 and didn’t post his first birdie until the playoff.

Singh got off to a poor start on Sunday but seemed to find new life in the playoff. He was not pleased with his early play.

Singh’s 76 was the highest final-round score by a PGA Champion and the highest final score for a major winner since Reg Whitcombe shot a closing 78 at the 1938 British Open.

“It is sad to see someone win it the way I did,” said Singh, who picked up $1.12 million in first-place money. It was the eighth straight time Singh had won after holding the lead heading into the final round. Singh said the par-72 Whistling Straits course was a lot tougher than the first three rounds.

Singh, DiMarco and Leonard finished at eight-under 280 as DiMarco carded a 71 and Leonard a 75. Leonard, of the United States, had a two-shot lead with three holes to play but his approach on No. 18 landed in a hollow basin left of the green and he had to settle for a bogey while playing partner Singh parred it.

Leonard bogeyed three of his last five holes on Sunday. Asked how Singh could win a major championship with only one birdie, Leonard said, “I doubt anybody would have thought that could happen.”

DiMarco birdied three straight around the turn and parred Whistling Straits two signature closing holes to get into the playoff.

“I hung in there this weekend and put up two good scores,” said DiMarco, who was also named to the US Ryder Cup team on Sunday.

Singh, who took a huge step toward being chosen player-of-the-year, headed into the final round with a one shot lead over Leonard.

“It looked ugly when you look at the score because it was four over. But it was a good four over for me,” Singh said. “I was angry with myself for the way I played today. I knew I had to be aggressive in the playoff and so I went all out and played for it.”

Although his lone birdie came unusually late in the day, it was the only one he needed to win. “I waited all day for it and it was a good time when it came,” he said. Playing over holes 10, 17 and 18 in the playoff, Singh stepped up his game, birdieing the first hole while the others settled for par. His best shot of the day came on the par-three second playoff hole as his three-iron tee shot landed six feet from the cup. He missed the short birdie putt but it didn’t matter because he had already sent a strong message to his playoff opponents.

Singh clinched the victory with a two-footer on No. 18 as he went birdie, par, par in the playoff.