Vijay Singh gains third title of 2003

Vijay Singh won the rain-delayed John Deere Classic by four strokes Monday, his third title of the year that sent him to the top of this season's PGA Tour money list.

Singh closed with a 6-under-par 65 for a total of 16-under 268. He had six birdies in a bogey-free final round that was held over a day after darkness suspended play Sunday night.

Chris Riley (71), J.L. Lewis (71) and Jonathan Byrd (68) shared second at 12-under 272.

The $630,000 first prize boosted Singh's earnings for the year to more than $5.6 million, edging him past Davis Love III. Love, nursing a sore back, finished tied for 27th at the Quad City PGA Tour stop.

Singh, in his first John Deere Classic appearance, also is in the running for player of the year honors, But he said the money list is more important to him.

"I can control the money list. I can't control the player of the year," said Singh, adding that Masters champion Mike Weir would top his list for that award.

With three more Tournaments ahead, Singh said this year might be his best shot at topping the money list.

"If I play well, I just have no worries about what can go wrong," said Singh, who now has won 14 career PGA Tour events.

Riley called Singh a world-class player who's hard to catch when he has a weekend lead.

"He's in there with Tiger Woods, David Love, Mike Weir -- he's in their class. I'm trying to get there," said Riley, who won the 2002 Reno-Tahoe Open and now has six top 100 finishes this year.

Singh started play Monday at 12 under, tied with Lewis, who posted his lone career win at the John Deere Classic in 1999.

The pair resumed their final round Monday on No. 6, and Singh began to pull away after he birdied No. 8 and Lewis followed with a bogey on No. 9.

Lewis, who used only 50 putts when he shot consecutive 6-under 65s in the first two rounds, struggled on the green over the weekend.

Paul Stankowski, in his third PGA event since returning from wrist surgery, tied for fifth at 11 under with Hidemichi Tanaka and Kevin Sutherland.

The John Deere Classic drew its best field after being moved back from its usual tee off in July. However, the Tournament was plagued by a Saturday downpour that postponed Saturday's third round.

Tournament officials had hoped to wedge in 36 holes on Sunday so players could travel to the next stop, the 84 Lumber Classic in Pennsylvania.

But a storm front that dumped more than 3 inches of rain Friday and Saturday lingered over the Quad Cities, pushing tee times back until late morning.

The John Deere Classic is the first PGA Tour event to extend into Monday since the FBR Capital Open in June. However, 22 of 39 Tournaments this year have had some kind of weather delay.

Monday finish after long Sunday

J.L. Lewis and Vijay Singh held a one-stroke lead after a long day of golf Sunday didn't produce a winner at the rain-soaked John Deere Classic.

Lewis, who won the Tournament in 1999, and Singh, third on the PGA Tour money list this year, were at 12 under after completing the rain-delayed third round. They only played five holes of the final round, which will resume Monday morning at 8:15 a.m ET.

A dozen players were within five shots of the lead when play was halted by darkness at the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run, where heavy rains washed out Saturday's round.

Lewis, who has topped the leaderboard throughout the Tournament, couldn't add to the 12-under total he built with identical 65s during the first two rounds.

He said a north wind and slow putting surface offset rain-softened greens and fairways. He predicted a score of 4 under might be needed to win Monday.

"If it stays calm, they'll be some birdies made," Lewis said.

Singh, who started the day four shots back, picked up two strokes with three birdies and a bogey during the third round, then birdied two of five holes in the final round before play was stopped.

He is playing for the seventh straight week in an attempt to win the money title.

Notah Begay III, Chris Riley and Paul Stankowski were one shot back at 11 under, while Jonathan Byrd was alone in sixth place at 10 under. Three players were within three shots at 9 under.

Stankowski, returning after wrist surgery in May, said fatigue wasn't a factor despite the extra holes on the hilly course.

"I only played 25 holes today so it's not that bad. It could have been worse," said Stankowski, who has won two PGA Tour titles -- the last in 1997.

Tournament officials had hoped to wedge in 36 holes on Sunday so players could move on to their next stop, the 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania in Farmington, Pa.

But a storm that dumped more than three inches of rain Friday and Saturday lingered over the Quad Cities, pushing tee times back until late morning.

Players completed the third round, then started on the fourth. Play was stopped shortly after 7 p.m.

The John Deere Classic is the first PGA Tour event to extend into Monday since June's FBR Capital Open. However, 22 of 39 Tournaments have experienced some kind of weather delay in a season marked by rain and new names atop leaderboards.

Justin Leonard, who was tied for sixth after two rounds at 6 under, withdrew for the birth of his daughter, Reese, who was born Sunday morning.

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