LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) – Arnold Palmer couldn’t have done it much better.

With a Sunday charge that would have made his namesake proud, Ryan Palmer birdied four straight holes down the stretch and closed with a 10-under 62 to win the Funai Classic at Disney by three shots over Vijay Singh and Briny Baird.

Palmer became the fifth PGA Tour rookie to win this year.

“What a feeling,” Palmer said. “I knew I could play.”

Not many paid attention to Palmer – no relation to the King – when he started the final round five shots out of the lead. No one could stop him at the end of a sunny day at Disney World, not even the No. 1 player in the world.

Along with two tap-in birdies set up by flawless iron play, Palmer chipped in from 40 feet on the 15th hole and made a 45-foot birdie on No. 17 that would have gone some 12 feet past the hole if it didn’t catch the back of the cup.

His 62 was the lowest closing round by a winner on the PGA Tour since Phil Tataurangi had a 62 in Las Vegas two years ago, and it tied the Disney record previously held by Duffy Waldorf (2000) and John Huston (1992).

The 28-year-old Texan finished at 22-under 266 and earned $756,000 for his first PGA Tour victory. It allows him to play the Chrysler Championship next week in Tampa, where he might be able to sew up a spot in the Masters by finishing in the top 40 on the money list.

Singh, trying to win his fourth straight PGA Tour event, was relentless as ever. He made three straight birdies to get within two shots of the lead with four holes to play, but his aggressive play cost him.

The 41-year-old Fijian hit driver on the 16th and found a fairway bunker, a tough spot to get the ball close. His approach was 50 feet beyond the pin, and he three-putted for bogey to end his chances.

Singh closed with a 67 to earn $369,600 and now has over $9.8 million. He needs to earn $174,834 over the final two weeks to become golf’s first $10 million man.

“I played well,” Singh said. “My game is coming back. I’m in that that mood again, so I’ll be OK. Ryan played well, and you can’t take a good round away.”

Baird, who shared the lead with Tom Lehman going into the final round, made a 15-foot birdie on the par-5 14th to get within two shots of Palmer. He was the last man who had a chance to catch him, but like Singh, his chances ended on the 16th when he missed the fairway to the right and three-putted from long range to make bogey.

Baird shot 70 and joined Singh at 269.

Lehman had at least a share of the 54-hole lead for the third straight week and got the same result – not enough birdies, the victim of someone else’s great charge. He shot 72 and tied for sixth.

Palmer wasn’t the only big winner Sunday.

Mark Calcavecchia, at No. 129 on the money list and in danger of losing his PGA Tour card for the first time since 1985, birdied four straight holes to start his back nine and shot 69. He also tied for sixth and earned $135,975 to secure his job for next season.

Cameron Beckman was among four players tied for the lead at one point. He shot 69 and tied for fourth, his best finish of year and enough money ($184,800) to get off the bubble at No. 123 on the money list and secure his card. Billy Andrade was at No. 126 and shot 66 to tie for 16th. He should be safe in the top 125.

Still, the biggest prize – in this case, a bronze trophy of Mickey, Goofy and Pluto – went to Palmer. He covered his face in his hands and hugged his wife, Jennifer, when he realized no one else could catch him.

Not since the PGA Tour began keeping records in 1970 has there been five rookie winners in one year. The others were Todd Hamilton, Zach Johnson, Vaughn Taylor and Andre Stolz.

No one could have guessed Palmer would join them. He was among 20 guys within five shots of the lead, but arrived at Disney with only one top 10 on the PGA Tour.

It changed quickly. After a 25-foot birdie on the first hole, Palmer started stuffing his approach shots by the pin and joined Baird and Lehman at 17 under before they reached the first tee. And when the 54-hole leaders didn’t light up the Magnolia course, Palmer left them in his wake.

First came a wedge on the par-5 14th that stopped 3 feet away for birdie and the outright lead. His chip on the 15th gave him a small cushion, and Palmer poured it on. Another approach on the 16th stopped 2 feet away for birdie, but the real shock was on the 17th.

From a spot where Ernie Els once putted off the green, Palmer’s 45-foot putt rammed into the back of the cup for a birdie. He raised both arms and lowered them on his head, realizing this could be his week.

Divots: Charles Howell III shot 70 and tied for 62nd, leaving him about $36,000 short of No. 30 on the money list with only one tournament left to qualify for the Tour Championship. Howell concedes this has not been a good year, but he still is 33rd on the money list. “If my bad year is where I am right now, I’ll be just fine,” he said. “I’m still working as hard as I absolutely can to play the best golf I can.” … Both tournaments in Orlando featured great comebacks by west Texans. Chad Campbell rallied from a four-shot deficit to win the Bay Hill Invitational.

AP-ES-10-24-04 1817EDT