Singh turns final round into V-Day

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Vijay Singh blew away the field Sunday at Pebble Beach to continue an amazing run that keeps moving him closer to his ultimate goal -- replacing Tiger Woods at No. 1.

Singh birdied his first three holes to bury co-leader Arron Oberholser and anyone else who had thoughts of catching him, closing with a 3-under 69 for a three-shot victory in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Singh finished at 16-under 262, three shots ahead of Jeff Maggert.

Maggert overcame a four-putt for double bogey on No. 16 with birdies on his last two holes for a 69.

Phil Mickelson also had a 69 and finished third, his third top-10 in as many starts this year.

That's nothing compared with Singh, who ran his streak to 12 consecutive finishes in the top 10 dating to the NEC Invitational in August. He is two away from the modern-day record set by Jack Nicklaus in 1977.

The real target is Woods.

Singh, who earned $954,000 for his 16th career victory, is firmly entrenched at No. 2 in the world ranking. At this rate, it won't be long before Woods is looking over his shoulder.

"I'm playing pretty good," Singh said. "I'm more concerned with how I'm playing week in and week out. I want to be No. 1 before I finish. But it's a hard feat to take Tiger off the top."

The gap is large in the complicated, points-based ranking. On the course, it looks like a dead heat.

"Right now, it's probably pretty close," Jesper Parnevik said.

Singh has shot par or better in 45 of his last 48 rounds. Not only does he have 12 consecutive finishes in the top 10, he has been no worse than tie for sixth in all but one of them.

PGA European Tour

Ernie Els held off Adam Scott by a stroke in the Heineken Classic after blowing an eight-stroke lead with a terrible start that included a triple bogey.

Els stumbled to his third straight victory in the event, playing the front nine in 6 over en route to a 2-over 74. He opened the tournament with a course-record 60 -- playing the front nine in 7 under -- and added rounds of 66 and 68 to finish at 20-under 268 at historic Royal Melbourne.

"It was unbelievable," Els said. "It's like you are feeling a little bit helpless out there."

Scott, who shot a 67 on Sunday, tied the South African star for the lead with a birdie on No. 9, but Els rebounded with four birdies in a five-hole stretch.

Champions Tour

Bruce Fleisher won the Royal Caribbean Classic for the third time in six years, closing with a 1-under 71 in windy conditions for a one-stroke victory.

Fleisher ran off eight straight pars on the back nine before holing a 6-footer for birdie on the 18th. He finished at 6-under 210, a stroke ahead of Dana Quigley (68)

-- From wire reports