The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Mike Weir posted a 5-under 66 and headed to the practice range as a mere formality, never expecting his seven-stroke comeback against Charles Howell III to amount to anything more than a consolation prize.

The lefty is quickly gaining a reputation as the comeback Canadian.

Weir won the Nissan Open on Sunday by holing an 8-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole, the second time this month the 32-year-old has cut into a large deficit in the final round to win.

"Being seven shots back, especially with Nick (Price) and Charles up there, I was definitely surprised," Weir said. "I wanted to play solid and shoot a good number. Winning wasn't on my mind."

Weir made up a four-shot deficit in the final round to win the Bob Hope Classic four weeks ago. He has trailed going into the last round in all five of his PGA Tour victories.

Howell led by three strokes over Price at the start of an overcast day, maintained that cushion going into the back nine and then watched it slowly slip away.

"Everything just fell my way," said Weir, who earned $810,000 and moved to the top of the PGA Tour money list at just over $2 million.

"If I had played like I should have, this never would have gone to a playoff," said Howell, who played the final seven holes in 2 over and closed with a 73. "Never at any point today did I think I wasn't going to win the tournament."

It looked like he had no chance on the best little par 4 in golf, the 311-yard 10th that invites players to drive the green and makes them pay for it if they miss to the right.

Howell hit driver and went to the right. Weir played it safe with a 5-wood, then hit a sand wedge over the corner of a bunker to the skinny green, stopping 8 feet away.

Howell then hit the best shot of the tournament. His 35-yard bunker shot landed just on the fringe and trickled 6 feet away. But after Weir made his putt, Howell's bid to extend the playoff ended when his putt stayed left of the hole.

He didn't make a putt longer than 5 feet all afternoon.

Both players finished at 9-under 275, leading to the first playoff on tour this year.

Price had a share of the lead until bogeys on the 15th and 16th. He finished two strokes behind after a 72, tied with Fred Funk (68).

Tiger Woods had the best round of the day, a 6-under 65 that lifted him into a tie for fifth at 278. It was the eighth consecutive top-10 finish for Woods, dating to the British Open at Muirfield (tie for 28th).

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Bruce Fleisher took advantage of a two-shot swing on the 17th hole and edged Hale Irwin for a one-shot victory. Fleisher shot a 4-under-par 67 in the final round to finish at 8-under 205 at the TPC of Tampa Bay. Irwin, who began the day with a one-shot lead, shot 69 to finish at 7 under.

ANZ LADIES MASTERS: Laura Davies won this Golf Coast tournament for the third time, taking advantage of Karrie Webb's final-hole bogey for a one-stroke victory. Davies holed a 12-foot par putt on No. 18 for a 4-under 68 and a 13-under 203 total in the rain-shortened tournament. Davies also won in 1993 and '94.

MALAYSIAN OPEN: India's Arjun Atwal shot a 5-under 66 for a four-stroke victory at Kuala Lumpur.