Los Angeles ? Mike Weir posted a 5-under-par 66 and headed to the practice range as a mere formality, never expecting his seven-stroke comeback against Charles Howell III to amount to anything more than a consolation prize.

Weir should have known better. The lefty is gaining a reputation as the comeback Canadian. He won the Nissan Open Sunday by holing an 8-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole, the second time this month the 32-year-old had cut into a large deficit in the final round to win.

“Being seven shots back, especially with Nick (Price) and Charles up there, I was definitely surprised,” Weir said. “I wanted to play solid and shoot a good number. Winning wasn’t on my mind.”

Weir made up a four-shot deficit in the final round to win the Bob Hope Classic four weeks ago. He has trailed going into the last round in all five of his PGA Tour victories.

“Everything just fell my way,” said Weir, who earned $810,000 and moved to the top of the PGA Tour money list at just over $2 million.

Howell led by three strokes over Price at the start of the day.

“If I had played like I should have, this never would have gone to a playoff,” said Howell, a former Oklahoma State standout who played the final seven holes in 2 over and closed with a 73.

Both players finished at 9-under 275. Price finished two strokes behind after a 72, tied with Fred Funk (68). Tiger Woods carded a 6-under 65 that lifted him into a tie for fifth at 278. It was his eighth straight top-10 finish.