JERSEY CITY: Heath Slocum drained a 21-foot par putt on the final hole on Sunday to claim a one-shot win at The Barclays, the first of the US PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoff series.

Slocum’s effort denied a possible playoff that would have included world No 1 Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker — who is second on the FedEx Cup points list — as well as three-time major champions Ernie Els of South Africa and Padraig Harrington of Ireland. Slocum shot a four-under 67 for a nine-under total of 275.

Woods and Harrington also carded 67s, while Els posted a five-under 66 and Stricker a 69. Those four shared second on eight-under 276. With the win, Slocum leapt from 124th on the FedEx Cup points list to third behind Woods and Stricker. Overnight co-leaders Paul Goydos and Steve Marino both struggled in the final round. Goydos carded a 75 for a share of ninth place on 279, while Marino faltered with a 77 to finished tied for 15th.

Slocum birdied the second, then holed out for eagle on the fifth to seize a share of the lead. He got up and down for birdie on the par-five sixth, but gave a shot back to fall back into a tie for the lead with Marino with a bogey at seven. Marino faded on the back nine, as Slocum parred five straight from the eighth — retaining a share of the lead all the while.

Meanwhile Els and Stricker joined the lead. After Els, Harrington was next in on eight-under. He birdied three in a row from the 12th to reach seven-under, and sank a 13-footer at 18. Slocum got to nine-under with a four-footer at 13. Stricker was nine-under after a birdie at 13, but bogeyed 15. Stricker regained a share of the lead with a birdie at 16.

At 18, both Slocum and Stricker were in bunkers off the tee. Both got out onto the fairway, and Stricker put his next shot within 10 feet as Slocum put his 21 feet away. Slocum made his putt to put the pressure on Stricker, who missed on the left edge.

After a bogey at the fourth, Woods made his move with three birdies in four holes from the fifth. He birdied at 14, then got within one of the lead with a three-footer at 16. At 17, Woods saw a 20-foot birdie attempt slide right, and his seven-footer at the last missed left. Top 100 on the points list move on now to the second playoff event, Deutsche Bank Championship. Those knocked out this week included South Korea’s KJ Choi and former British Open champion Ben Curtis.