Singh heads for Open road after Buick win
Woods made a late surge from eight shots down Sunday but couldn't complete the comeback as Singh closed with a 70 and came away with a four-stoke victory.
After three spectacular rounds, average was good enough for Singh, who won the Buick Open for the third time with a 24-under 264.
"I wasn't as aggressive,' he said. "I felt very much in control so I didn't want to make any mistakes because nobody was making a charge. To protect the lead is not a fun way to play."
What was looking like an anti-climactic final round got some juice when Woods got rolling.
The No. 1 player vaulted into contention with six birdies and an eagle in an nine-hole stretch.
"I thought if I played a great back nine, I might be in position just in case Vijay messed up, but he's playing too well to do that," he said after tying for second.
Following his 17-foot putt for birdie at No. 17 to pull within two shots, Woods cupped his left ear to coax a louder reaction from the raucous gallery. "I wanted to know how loud those drunk guys get," he said.
Woods' drive at the final hole sailed wide right while the second-ranked Singh, playing two groups behind, made his second birdie to take a three-shot lead. Woods bogeyed the final hole and fell another shot back.
Zach Johnson, 69, tied for second his best finish this year at 20 under.
Robert Allenby, 65, finished 18 under, alone in fourth. Allenby aced the 179-yard 11th, helping him finish in the top 10 for the first time this year.
Singh is the first three-time champion at the Buick Open, a tournament that started in 1958. He's also the first to repeat since Tony Lema in 1965.
The 42-year-old Fijian has won four events this year and 28 in his career. Singh trails only Woods' 44 victories and leads Phil Mickelson by two among active PGA Tour players.
Singh's five-shot lead was his largest entering a final round. The four times he led by three after 54 holes, he won each event, including the 2000 Masters.
The large cushion allowed him to play conservatively, making two birdies and 16 pars. "I wasn't aggressive, but I didn't need to be," he said.
Singh matched the Buick Open's 54-hole record of 22-under 194.
"You never win the golf tournament on Saturday, but you can put yourself in position to win," he said.
If he shot 67 or better for the sixth straight time at Warwick Hills, he would've eclipsed Robert Wrenn's tournament mark of 26 under, set in 1987.
"I wasn't trying to break the record, my goal was to win the golf tournament," he said.
His last victory here started a run of six wins in eight events, including the PGA Championship. He went on to win player of the year honours.
"I'm playing better this year than I did last year," Singh said. "I'm excited. I just hope I can follow what I did last year. It's going to be almost impossible, but I'm going to give it a shot." Singh will go for his third PGA Championship title and fourth major victory in two weeks.
Woods played for the first time since winning the British Open two weeks ago. At Baltusrol in New Jersey, he'll shoot for his 11th major title and third this year.
Woods had an up-and-down tournament. He opened with a 71, then had an 11-under 61 his career best round in relation to par before falling back with a 70 on Saturday. He tied the tournament record with three eagles, including two in a row in the second round.
"I had it going at times, but I couldn't keep it together for 72 holes and that's disappointing," he said.
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