Golf | Stricker wins PGA Tour Deutsche Bank Championship

NORTON, Mass. — Steve Stricker can build a strong case for the Deutsche Bank Championship as the biggest victory of his career.

It was his first victory with top-ranked Tiger Woods in the field. Stricker's third title of the season moved him up to a career-high No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking. And he replaced Woods atop the FedEx Cup standings.

What satisfied Stricker the most, though, was how he won.

In a wild Labor Day finish on the TPC Boston, where a half-dozen players came to the par-5 18th hole with realistic hopes of winning, Stricker finished with back-to-back birdies for a 4-under-par 67 and a one-shot victory Monday.

"Knowing I had to make a couple of birdies and actually doing it means a lot," the 42-year-old Stricker said.

Stricker finished at 17-under 267 and earned $1.35 million. Scott Verplank (67) had birdies on the last four holes and tied Jason Dufner (65) for second place in the second of four PGA Tour Playoff tournaments.

The top 70 players in FedEx Cup points advance to the BMW Championship, which starts Thursday in Lemont, Ill.

Ryan Moore of Puyallup missed the cut to drop from 35th to 48th in points. Seattle native Fred Couples missed the cut and is out of the playoffs.

The names kept changing atop the leaderboard throughout the back nine, and Stricker only found comfort from seeing his name in the mix. Dufner was the first player to break out of the tie with a two-putt birdie on the 18th.

Stricker knocked in a 15-foot birdie on the 17th, helped by getting a good read on the tricky putt from Retief Goosen. Stricker split the middle of the 18th fairway and hit a hybrid that ended up slightly past the green. He hit a delicate chip to tap-in range for the victory.

"It was a tough day. There was a lot of guys in the mix," Stricker said. "And I just found a way to get it done."

Because the points are reset after the BMW Championship, Stricker is assured of being no worse than the No. 2 seed in the Tour Championship — with a chance to win the $10 million first prize.

"It's been a blast, and I want to keep riding it out," said Stricker, his voice cracking.

His lone failure was winning a PGA Tour event and trying to get through an interview without crying. He is 0 for 7.

Woods tied a tournament record with a 30 on the front nine and settled for a 63.

"Certainly, from where I was at, I couldn't win the tournament, even if I shot 60 or something like that," said Woods, who tied for 11th place.

Padraig Harrington (68) tied for fourth despite leading by a shot going to the back nine.

"I was leading the tournament, and going into the back nine it was mine to lose," Harrington said. "And I lost it.

"I'll feel this one a lot more than some of the others."