TULSA, Oklahoma -- Three years ago, Tom Lehman was a virtually unknown refugee from just about every small tour in the world and had never won a PGA event. With his runaway win at the Tour championship, Lehman staked his claim to player-of-the-year honors.


Lehman finished off a dominating performance at Southern Hills Country Club and a sensational year with a 71 in the rain-delayed final round for a 12-under-par 268, six strokes ahead of Brad Faxon and seven better than Steve Stricker.


Monday's victory gave Lehman the money title, the best scoring average and the PGA of America player of the year award.


Lehman is now a strong contender for the PGA Tour player of the year award, which is determined in a vote by players. His 268 was a stroke better than Nick Price's score in the 1994 PGA championship at Southern Hills.


Lehman becomes the 10th golfer to win both the PGA of America player of the year award and the Vardon trophy.


Tiger Woods, whose one bad round was a second-round 78 on the day his father was hospitalized with chest pains, finished with a 68 and tied for 21st at 288.





"It turned out to be a dream year," Lehman said. "I really didn't think about winning the money title until this week. I played great, and everything just fell together."


He also won the Vardon trophy by averaging 69.32 over 79 rounds.