WOODSTOCK, Ga. — Tiger Woods is still the best in the world, and his fifth victory of the year Sunday at the American Express Championship might be enough for his peers to vote him best on the PGA Tour again.
With three clutch pars on the grueling back nine at Capital City Club, Woods won his seventh World Golf Championship in 13 tries by closing with a 2-over 72 for a two-shot victory over Vijay Singh, Tim Herron and Stuart Appleby.
It was only the fourth time in 39 victories on the PGA Tour that Woods won despite failing to break par in the final round, and the first time since the 2002 U.S. Open.
This was particular ugly, although Woods — as usual — did what was required.
The Crabapple course was a brute, with brick-hard greens and deep, wiry rough. Woods won at 6-under 274, the third-highest winning score this year behind the British Open (1-under 283) and the PGA Championship (4-under 276).
Woods had to win this week for any chance of winning the money title and PGA Tour player of the year for an unprecedented fifth straight time.
He earned $1.05 million, putting him atop the money list by about $170,000 over Singh.
Woods' five victories also leads the PGA Tour, and he has virtually locked up another scoring title. Still, much can happen with one month left in the season.
Woods was more elated over the 100th career victory for his caddie, Steve Williams, who has worked for Peter Thomson, Greg Norman and Raymond Floyd during his career.
"People have no idea how big this win was," Woods said. "It's not just the player of the year or the money title, it was Stevie's 100th win. He's meant a lot to a lot of the success I've had."
Williams didn't hit any putts Sunday, however.
That responsibility fell to Woods, and he came through in typical fashion. Woods is 30-2 when having at least a share of the 54-hole lead.
Singh and Herron both kept Woods in range on a rugged afternoon, both poised to make a move if Woods faltered.
Woods hit a delicate flop shot to 4 feet to save par on No. 10, but the key might have been the par-3 13th.
His tee shot went over the green, and he hit a bump shot into the hill that trickled 7 feet past the hole. He made the putt to keep his two-shot lead over Herron.
Leading by three on the 16th, Woods' approach from deep rough shot through a bunker and forced him to stand in the sand, the ball in thick grass level with his knees. Woods gripped his wedge on the steel shaft and chipped to 10 feet, then holed that par putt.
"I made a big putt on the 13th and another one on the 16th to keep the momentum," Woods said.
He closed with two bogeys, but by then it didn't matter.
Singh, who has played eight more times than Woods and desperately wants to win the money title, squandered great opportunities from the fairway on Nos. 9 and 10, and closed with a 72, falling into a three-way tie for second that cost him $155,000.
Appleby had a 68, while Herron failed to make a par over the final five holes — four bogeys and a birdie — for a 71.
SOUTHERN FARM: At Madison, Miss., John Huston erased a two-stroke deficit over his final four holes and shot a 68 to win the Southern Farm Bureau Classic by one stroke over Brenden Pappas, who closed with a 10-under 62.
Pappas started the final round seven strokes behind Huston, the 54-hole leader.
Huston, showing the poise of a 15-year PGA Tour veteran, birdied Nos. 15, 16 and 17 to take back the lead and finished at 20-under 268.
With his seventh career victory, and first in three years, Huston became the 11th player 40 or older to win on tour this season. He won $540,000.
LPGA TOUR: At Lincoln, Calif., Helen Alfredsson shot a 2-under 70 and got her first victory since 1998 after Pat Hurst's double bogey on the final hole of the Longs Drugs Challenge.
Alfredsson made an 18-inch par putt on the 18th hole at the Lincoln Hills Club to finish at 13-under 275 and defeat Hurst, Grace Park, Rachel Teske, Se Ri Pak and Yong Yeon Lee by one stroke.