Appleby wins third straight Mercedes title in playoff

KAPALUA, Hawaii -- Stuart Appleby had to go an extra hole to make it three in a row Sunday at the Mercedes Championships, making a birdie on the par-5 18th to force a playoff against Vijay Singh, then winning on the same hole with a bunker shot that nearly went in.

Appleby joined Gene Littler (1955 to 1957) as the only players to win the winners-only tournament three straight times, and none of them was easy.

"This one was the hardest," said Appleby, who went from a two-shot lead to a two-shot deficit before making birdies on two of the last four holes for a 2-under 71.

Two groups ahead of him, Singh surged into the lead with a 7-under 66, the best score of the tournament and nine shots better than the average score in the final round. But in the playoff, Singh's approach caught a soft bounce and stayed short of the green, and his 100-foot eagle putt stopped 9 feet short of the hole.

Appleby hit 3-iron through the green into the back bunker, then blasted out and watched the ball tickle over the rim of the cup before settling 2 feet away. Singh's birdie putt stayed right the whole way, and Appleby holed his short putt for what is becoming a familiar finish at this tournament.

"I had to do something special coming in. I didn't do it, so I had to do it in the playoff," Appleby said. "Winning three times is a dream come true."

Both players finished at 8-under 284, the highest score to win in the eight years the season-opening tournament has been played on the Plantation course at Kapalua.

Appleby needed birdie on the 18th to force a playoff. His approach was just short, but he played his 150-foot chip perfectly, and it rolled within 4 feet for a 71 and extra holes.

Appleby won for the seventh time on the PGA Tour, earning $1.08 million and adding to his collection of Mercedes-Benz sports cars that go to the winner.