AKRON, Ohio (AFP) — Vijay Singh won the final tune-up before the last major of the year, shooting a two-under 68 in the fourth round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Singh won Sunday's eight million dollar event by one stroke over runner-ups Stuart Appleby (68) of Australia and England's Lee Westwood (69).
"I just had to be confident over it," he said of his final putt on No. 18. "I started off today feeling confident but towards the end of the round I got a little nervous."
Singh, a Fijian-Indian, finished with a 10-under 270 total after starting the final round tied for the lead with Phil Mickelson and Westwood.
Singh rolled in a par putt from four feet at the final hole to cap his round and earn his 32nd career USPGA Tour win.
Singh now has the most career wins by a non-American player, one more than Harry "Lighthorse" Cooper.
Mickelson and South African Retief Goosen finished tied for fourth, just two strokes back of Singh.
Singh stepped it up when it really counted rattling his ball home from five feet at the penultimate hole to preserve his lead, before sinking his clinching putt at 18.
"The five-footer on 17 was a good putt, went straight in the middle, and the last putt I hit on the right edge and it started right where I aimed and went in," he said.
"I'm very, very uncomfortable with four-and-five-footers. I practised so hard last week on the putting and at the end of the day it paid off."
It seemed a two-man battle between Singh and Mickelson early on the back nine, but the American's meltdown left Westwood and Appleby to apply the pressure.
Westwood was in deep trouble after a double bogey at No. 7, but climbed back into contention with three birdies in the next six holes.
"I was really back against the wall (after the double bogey), five behind, but I came back with a nice birdie on the next and just thought, 'Dig in there and see what happens'," he said.
Appleby was hardly on the radar screen until he suddenly jumped into contention with birdies at No. 16 and No. 17, and he had a nice birdie chance at the last, missing from 18 feet.
"I felt very confident I was going to make it," he said. "It just didn't come left."
Singh now heads to Detroit for the final major of 2008, the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills course where he will be one of the favourites.
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