Bryant leaves field in the dust

Tiger Woods finished second, finishing his season with $10.6 million in earnings.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA -- Bart Bryant wondered if he belonged with the elite players at the Tour Championship. He wound up leaving them in the dust Sunday, closing with a 3-under 67 in a record performance that capped off a remarkable year.
Bryant birdied his first two holes to open a six-shot lead and led by at least four shots the rest of the way around East Lake, winning by six shots over Tiger Woods to capture the $1.17 million prize -- more money than he won in his first 18 years as a pro.
Bryant, 42, got up-and-down from behind the 18th green for par to finish at 17-under 263 and break by four shots the 72-hole record at the Tour Championship set five years ago at East Lake by Phil Mickelson. His victory margin matched the largest by Tom Lehman at Southern Hills in 1996.
He opened with a course-record 62 and never showed any signs that he would buckle, not even after back-to-back bogeys early in the final round. He played a simple game of fairways and greens, and made consecutive birdie putts from outside 25 feet early on the back nine to put Woods away.
Woods had three birdies in a four-hole stretch to give himself a chance, but the best he could do was a 69 to finish at 11-under 269. Woods earned $715,000 and finished his six-win, two-major year with $10.6 million.
Southern Farm Bureau Classic
MADISON, Miss. -- Heath Slocum shot a 6-under 66 for a two-stroke victory at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic.
With his father -- former Mississippi club pro Jack Slocum -- as his caddy, the younger Slocum finished at 21-under 267 after four rounds at the par-72, 7,199-yard course at Annandale Golf Club.
Slocum and Loren Roberts were tied at 20 under entering the 17th hole. After knocking his second shot 9 feet from the pin, Slocum birdied the par-4, 413-yard hole.
Mizuno Classic
OTSU, Japan -- Annika Sorenstam became the first player in LPGA Tour history to win a tournament five straight times, shooting an 8-under 64 for a three-stroke victory in the Mizuno Classic.
Sorenstam broke a tie with Laura Davies for the LPGA Tour record for consecutive victories in an event. Davies won the Standard Register Ping from 1994-97.
The PGA Tour record for consecutive victories in an event is four, a mark shared by Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen and Tiger Woods.
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