Emotional Stricker winner again at last

Steve Stricker never lost hope, even when it appeared the signswere stacked against him.

Stricker had gone 6 years and 146 tournaments since his lastvictory and four times this year had wasted prime chances to posewith the winner's trophy.

The worst feeling for him Sunday at The Barclays in Harrison,N.Y., was watching K.J. Choi sink two birdie putts measuring acombined 95 feet that seemed to leave him destined for moreheartache.

But in a stunning turnaround, the tears Stricker shed on the 18thgreen were from sheer joy. He birdied four of his last five holes toclose with a 2-under-par 69, turning a one-shot deficit into a two-shot victory over Choi and getting the inaugural PGA Tour playoffsoff to a rousing start -- even with Tiger Woods sitting this oneout.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time," Stricker said,still wiping his eyes.

It wasn't easy. Not with 10 players separated by three shotsalong the back nine. Not with the memories of four blown chancesstill nagging at him. And certainly not with Choi making the twolong putts that caused Stricker to bow his head but not sag hisshoulders.

"I thought I was hitting well enough to maybe make a few birdiescoming in," Stricker said with a smile. "Obviously, not four out ofthe last five holes, but I tried to stay positive and upbeat."

And when his final birdie from eight feet dropped into the cup,Stricker raised his arms and hugged his caddie, Tom Matthews, whofirst caddied for him when he won the 2001 Match Play Championship.

An emotional player, Stricker barely could keep his composure infront of the TV cameras.

"It was hard, but it was fun," Stricker said, tears streamingdown the side of his face. "I never knew if I was going to winagain."

Stricker finished at 16-under 268 and moved atop the FedEx Cupstandings. Woods skipped the first of four playoff events andtumbled to No. 4, nearly 5,000 points back.

KNOST COMPLETES AMATEUR DOUBLE

Colt Knost completed a rare sweep of the two biggest amateur golfevents in the country, holding off Michael Thompson 2 and 1 in the36-hole final of the U.S. Amateur in Daly City, Calif., two monthsafter capturing the Public Links title at Cantigny in Wheaton. Theonly other golfer to accomplish the feat was Ryan Moore, who did itin 2004.

OCHOA WINS COMFORTABLY

Lorena Ochoa coasted to her third consecutive LPGA Tour victory,closing with a 1-under 71 to win the Safeway Classic by five shotsover four players in Kent, Wash. She finished 72 holes at 12-under204 to win for the sixth time this season.

WATSON TAKES CHAMPIONS EVENT

Denis Watson eagled the second hole of a playoff to win theBoeing Classic in Snoqualmie, Wash. Watson and Craig Stadler birdiedthe first hole of the playoff after they and five others hadfinished regulation tied at 9-under 207.

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FEDEX CUP POINTS

Rank Pts. Prev.

1 Steve Stricker 104,950 12

2 K.J. Choi 102,900 5

3 Rory Sabbatini 100,650 6

4 Tiger Woods 100,000 1

5 Phil Mickelson 99,612 4

6 Vijay Singh 99,000 2

7 Jim Furyk 98,850 3

8 Zach Johnson 97,350 7

9 Adam Scott 97,150 10

10 Ernie Els 96,966 19