NORTON, Massachusetts, 7 September 2004 — The sun was setting when Vijay Singh birdied the 18th here, and it seemed like a sign that Tiger Woods’ days as the world’s No. 1 player may be fading.

Singh shot a three-under-par 68 and holds a three-stroke lead over Woods after the third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Playing in the group in front of Singh, Woods had par at 18, slightly opening the door for Singh, who missed an eagle putt, but made a three-foot birdie.

“It was a tougher day,” said Singh after sharing low honors for the round with Brad Faxon and Dean Wilson.

Singh, 14-under 199 through 54 holes, had four birdies and one bogey in his third round. Woods had four birdies with two bogeys, but failed to take advantage of the three long par-5s, settling for two pars and a birdie.

He birdied five of those six holes in the first two rounds but Singh has outdueled him in the long game, converting all nine birdies on par-5s.

Playing in just his eighth PGA event, 22-year-old Bill Haas, the youngest player to make the cut this week, shot a 70 while playing alongside Woods. He is alone in third, five shots back. Haas is the son of PGA Tour veteran, Jay.

Kerr Holds Off Kim to Win LPGA Classic

In Springfield, Illinois, Cristie Kerr held off Christina Kim by just one stroke here Sunday by firing a three-under 69 to win the $1.2 million- LPGA State Farm Classic.

Kerr was in a position on the final hole where she could not afford to make a mistake with Kim in hot pursuit. After driving behind a tree and rebounding with a clutch bunker shot, she converted her putt to save par and seal victory with a 24-under 264.

The 20-year-old Kim needed a birdie on the 18th to pull even and then try to win her first tournament in a playoff, but she missed a putt and had to settle for 6-under and 265 overall.

Kim started the final round trailing by four strokes. She eagled the 15th to take a one-shot lead and had just one bogey at the 16th. Kerr capitalized with a birdie on 17 to reclaim the lead for good and the tournament.

It was the third win of the year for Kerr, who also won the Takefuji Classic and the ShopRite Classic. Only Annika Sorenstam, who has four victories, has won more than Kerr this year.

Kerr had struggled the previous two weeks, missing the cut in both events. A banged-up putter was partially to blame for that.

Kerr, who overcame a four-stroke deficit with a blistering 63 on Saturday, fell three shots shy of the LPGA’s 72-hole record of 27-under, set by Sorenstam in the 2001 Standard Register PING.

Mi Hyun Kim eagled No 15 and finished third at 18-under with Pat Hurst fourth at 15-under. Kim Saiki rebounded from a third-round 71 to fire a 65 to lead five players tied for fifth at 14-under.