By The Associated Press

To him, though, this is like a week off.

“I swear, in the winter I play way more golf than this,” he said Thursday after a practice round for the Bank of America Championship. “Eighteen holes is not even a fix for me.”

Quigley arrives at the par-72, 6,729-yard Nashawtuc Country Club as the leading money winner on the 50-and-over tour and the record-holder for most consecutive events, with 262 in a row and 276 straight that he’s been eligible for. The workload doesn’t seem to bother him: He’s finished in the top seven for six consecutive weeks, including a victory in Kansas City last time out.

“I am really starting to believe I am one of the best players out here. It’s something I have trouble accepting,” he said. “I’ve been in contention every week for six weeks. When that happens, even dumb guys like me can figure out I might be one of the top players.”

With $1,253,447 in official prize money so far this year, he has already topped last season’s earnings. His two victories match a career-high and his eight top 10 finishes is one shy of his total from 2004.

“The stamina and go-get that he has is wonderful,” said Arnold Palmer, who at 75 plays in fewer than 10 tournaments each year. “I think it’s great that he’s the leading money-winner. He deserves it.”

Quigley, 58, also claims to lead the senior circuit in an important but less objective stat: “I might have the best attitude on tour.”

Although in his younger days he would get upset about a bad shot or a bad round, since joining the Champions Tour Quigley has tried to remain more even-keeled. That’s stayed the same whether during his recent success or his previous eight years of self-described mediocrity.

“I actually laugh at bogeys,” he said. “It spurs me on to try to birdie the next hole.”

Furyk leads at Barclays

Jim Furyk birdied the final two holes for a back-nine 30 after three-putting the par-5 ninth for the lone bogey in his round of 65 to take a three-shot lead at the Barclays Classic.

“Today was one of the slow rounds of the year. It seemed to work for me for some reason,” said Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who is back in top form after missing five months last season because of a wrist injury.

“I took advantage of the holes where I had wedges in my hands. There were some very tough pin placements.”

Vijay Singh, the 1993 and 1995 Westchester champion, was tied with Kenny Perry, John Rollins, Ian Leggatt, Brian Bateman and Hidemichi Tanaka at 3-under par.

Sergio Garcia, the 2001 and 2004 winner, opened with a 72, ending his streak of rounds of par or better in the event at 19. He bogeyed the final four holes.

“I just kind of got out of it coming in,” Garcia said. “Tomorrow’s a new day.”