Vijay Singh raises the trophy after winning the Deutsche Bank Championship yesterday with a 63 for a 262 total.

AP / Stew Milne

NORTON, Mass. — It was Sunday afternoon, in the middle of the third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship, when Vijay Singh began threatening to ruin the fun of the FedEx Cup playoffs.

A PGA Tour official was in the media center at the TPC of Boston, and he was explaining how the two-year-old system had been modified to create more excitement for both players and fans.

As he was doing so, the television was showing Singh lining up a putt in the middle of his round. When the putt went in, the tour guy cringed.

“Ooohhhh,” he moaned. “Not now, Vijay.”

“He would mess up the system if he wins, wouldn’t he?” the man was asked.

“It wouldn’t be good,” the tour guy shot back. “Nothing against Vijay. It’s fine if he wins (the Cup title). But, no, it wouldn’t be good (if he won the Deutsche Bank).”

Too bad.

For the second week in a row, Singh was too good for any golfer not named Tiger. He can begin making plans to cash the $10-million check that goes to the FedEx Cup winner.

The four-week series might be only half over, but the fat lady is already warming up. The new, more volatile system has created more interest. But it does not matter how points are distributed if the same guy wins everything.

The only way Singh can be stopped is if the same player wins the titles in each of the last two events. At that, only Sergio Garcia, Mike Weir and whoever wins next week even have a chance to pass Singh. Even if one player does sweep the final two, Singh could still win if he finishes high in those events, in St. Louis and Atlanta.

Singh is all but home free.

“That makes me feel better,” Singh said when told of the mathematics.

He broke into a big smile as he spoke, which is something he did often, even while he was on the course. The usually taciturn 44-year-old from Fiji played so well that he even seemed to impress himself as he recorded an 8-under 63 to pull away to a five-stroke victory. His total of 22-under 262 broke the tournament record set by Adam Scott in 2003 by two strokes.

What made it all the more remarkable is that he did it as course conditions became much tougher. His 63 was the best round of the day, by two strokes. His five-stroke winning margin was the largest yet in the event.

“I’m glad I got to watch it. That was awesome to watch,” said Sergio Garcia, who played with Singh and shot a 72.

“To shoot 8-under today under these conditions, with the wind and as firm as the greens were, it’s just impressive, and that’s the only thing you can say,” Garcia said.

“I thought the golf course played very hard today, so Vijay’s round was really exceptional,” said Mike Weir, who had a 71 and took second at 267. Weir was the only player to stay within eight shots of Singh. Ernie Els and Camilo Villegas tied for third at 270.

“Obviously, I feel incredible,” said Singh. “I started great, made a great eagle on two with a chip-in, and that kind of got the ball rolling.”

Before the day was over, he would add seven birdies, with only one bogey, as he pulled away. He now has won three times in the last five weeks after starting the season slowly.

Long one of the game’s longest and most consistent players with the long game, he remains as good as ever in that department. Four years ago when he won for the first time in Norton, he jumped past Tiger Woods into the No. 1 spot in the world rankings.

“I would say I’m swinging the club better now than I did then,” he said. “My lines are better, my (swing) plane is a lot better.”

Now, he is putting better, too, ever since telling himself to stop thinking negatively on the greens.

“I’ve never felt this comfortable on the greens, ever,” he said. “The more I talk to myself on the golf course, walking up to the greens, I just keep on talking to myself and the better I feel.”

He was seventh for the week in putting, with 112. That included only 23 in the final round, when he made 175 feet worth of putts. It was his short game that allowed him to pull away as he made a 30-footer on the 13th hole and a 50-footer on the 14th, both for birdies.

When the one on 14 went in, he broke into a wide grin and walked to take the ball out of the hole. He knew the day was his. Tour officials might not be thrilled because he is ruining any playoff drama, but Singh has earned it.

In five visits to the Deutsche Bank, he has two wins, a second, a fourth and a tie for 60th, meaning he has pulled in more than $3 million in this event alone.

“I don’t know if I feel at home, but I just feel comfortable here,” he said. “I just play well over here, I don’t know why. I think the fans are great. The weather is good here all the time, too. I don’t know, I come here and my game just turns on for some reason. I feel good vibes.”

pkenyon@projo.com