Inspired Singh coasts to Labor Day victory

NORTON, Massachusetts (Reuters) - Vijay Singh, helped by three monster birdie putts, eased to his third PGA Tour title in five weeks with a commanding five-shot victory at the Deutsche Bank Championship on Monday.

Three off the pace overnight, the Fijian world number five fired a superb eight-under-par 63 in difficult, sun-drenched conditions at the TPC Boston for a 22-under total of 262.

Singh broke clear of a congested leaderboard with an outward nine of four-under 32 before tightening his grip with an astonishing putting display on a course running fast and firm.

Canadian Mike Weir, one ahead going into the final round, surrendered the outright lead with a double-bogey at the ninth and had to settle for second place after closing with a 71.

South African Ernie Els birdied the last for a 70 to share third at 14 under with Colombian Camilo Villegas (73).

"I feel incredible right now," a beaming Singh told reporters after pocketing the $1.26 million winner's check for the second week in a row in the lucrative FedExCup playoff series.

"It was a tough day and I knew the greens were going to be firm. I drove the ball beautifully and kept the ball in play, never got myself into much trouble..

"I've never felt this comfortable on the greens," added the 45-year-old who has recently convinced himself that he is the best putter in the world.

"I've been struggling all year but I had a good attitude change."

Singh, who also triumphed here in 2004 to end Tiger Woods's five-year reign as world number one, travels to St. Louis for this week's BMW Championship as the runaway FedExCup points leader.

"I'm going to go out there and play really hard," he said. "Another win would be the icing on the cake, but I don't take anything for granted."

LABOR SHOOTOUT

A Labor Day shootout appeared to be on the cards when Weir, Singh and Spaniard Sergio Garcia vied for supremacy early on.

Garcia, runner-up in his last two PGA Tour appearances, made a red-hot start with three consecutive birdies from the second to join Weir in a tie for the lead.

The Canadian, playing one group behind Garcia, regained control when he got up and down from a greenside bunker to birdie the short par-four fourth.

Singh, who won the Barclays Classic eight days ago in a playoff with Garcia, made his first move when he chipped in from 15 feet to eagle the second.

He birdied the sixth and the seventh, where he pitched to eight feet, to draw level with Weir at 17 under.

Weir responded by rolling in a seven-foot birdie putt at the eighth to edge one ahead before he stumbled at the difficult ninth.

Singh put the title beyond doubt after the turn.

He rolled in an eight-footer to birdie the 11th before draining the first of his long-range efforts from 35 feet at the 13th.

The ice-cool Fijian coaxed in a 60-footer at the 14th, shrugged off an unfortunate bogey at the 15th where his approach rolled back off the front of the green and sank another 35-footer at the 17th.

A two-putt birdie at the par-five last gave him astonishing 63 when the day's average score was 72.08.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)