Singh’s putting seals win in Deutsche Bank golf

Vijay Singh made three long birdie putts and closed with an eight-under-par 63 Monday to win the Deutsche Bank Championship at Norton, Mass., for his second consecutive victory in the PGA Tour’s playoff system.

The five-shot win over Mike Weir gives Singh such a big lead that he could win the $10-million playoff prize without even showing up at the Tour Championship, one of two tournaments remaining in the playoff. “Right now, my focus is going to be” at St. Louis this week, said Singh.

At the Deutsche Bank event, Singh rolled in a 35-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole to stretch his lead to three shots, then raised the belly putter like a trophy when he holed a 60-foot birdie putt on the next hole. He capped his run with a 35-foot birdie on the 17th hole.

PRO FOOTBALL

Superdome appears ready for opener

The Louisiana Superdome, scheduled to play host to an NFL regular-season opener Sunday between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appeared to be in good condition after the worst of Hurricane Gustav had passed Monday, the stadium’s operator said.

“We’re in good shape,” said Doug Thornton, vice president of SMG, the company that manages the Superdome and neighboring New Orleans Arena. “We’ve got some exterior signs ripped and things like that, downed fences and light poles blown over, but nothing major, nothing structural or nothing that would affect the interior condition of the building.”

After moving the Saints to Indianapolis last weekend to avoid Hurricane Gustav, General Manager Mickey Loomis said the team plans to return to its home base this week -- if city officials permit it.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck returned to practice and says he expects to start Sunday’s regular-season opener in Buffalo despite having only two practices since injuring his back after a practice shortly before Seattle’s Aug. 8 exhibition at Minnesota.

“I mean, ideally, yeah, you’d like to play a little bit more. But the situation is what it is,” Hasselbeck said after his first practice since he left one in pain Aug. 19. “I’ve gone into seasons when I wasn’t 100% healthy. And if I had to take one or the other, I would take healthy and not as many reps.”

Olindo Mare will be the Seahawks’ kicker for the opener against the Bills.

The Detroit Lions and former Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson reached a one-year agreement, and the New England Patriots signed Deltha O’Neal after the Bengals released him, according to ESPN.

Bengals receiver Chad Johnson says he is ready to start and needs to have a big season.

“I’ve got to be super-extra focused,” Johnson said. “I have a lot of making up to do to a lot of people -- not only my teammates, coaches, you know, from the top all the way down. I [angered] a lot of people all off-season with some of my -- most people call them antics.”

Quarterback Tom Brady ran through agility drills and said he’s ready to play in the New England Patriots opener. Coach Bill Belichick would only say: “We will give you [reporters] the injury report on Friday.”

The Denver Broncos juggled their secondary, claiming safety Calvin Lowry off waivers from Tennessee and trying to trade nickel back Domonique Foxworth. Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan said he expected a deal involving Foxworth to be completed in the next day or two.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson, sidelined since Aug. 18 because of a concussion, returned to practice and is expected to start Sunday’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. . . . Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jerry Porter, who had surgery for a torn hamstring in July, practiced for the first time in nearly three months, calling it a “small step in the big scheme of things.”

MISCELLANY

Ryder Cup wild-card picks today

Paul Azinger will announce today his four wild-card picks for this month’s Ryder Cup against Europe. Steve Stricker, who finished ninth in the U.S. Cup standings, is expected to be first in line. Other possible contenders include twice Ryder Cup player Scott Verplank, big-hitting J.B. Holmes, Hunter Mahan, 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, D.J. Trahan, Woody Austin, Sean O’Hair and Brandt Snedeker.

Roz Savage, 40, a British environmentalist, rowed through the night until she arrived in Honolulu, completing the 99-day first leg of her journey as she tries to become the first woman to row alone across the Pacific Ocean.

Stardom Bound charged from last place to win the $250,000 Grade I Del Mar Debutante at Del Mar.

Ridden by Mike Smith, the 2-year-old filly was slow from the gate but finished strong down the stretch to beat Palacio de Amor by four lengths.