Singh enjoying timely boost

Vijay Singh will head to this week’s US Open in great heart after he won the Barclays Classic in New York.

Four days before the start of the year’s second Major, Singh ended 11 months without a victory.

“Hopefully I will start winning a lot more,” Singh said. “I was not playing to my ability and not how I wanted to play. This week my head was correct. I didn’t make too many mistakes and when I did, I made up for it with my putting.

“The win gives me a lot of confidence. People will see my name and it makes them think that, ’yeah, he’s back’. I’m going to be a factor next week if I play like I did today.”

After what was a largely disappointing final round for the five Europeans who had entertained hopes of winning, Singh ended up taking the title by two shots from Australian Adam Scott.

Scott eagled the last with a 24-foot putt, but was left kicking himself. He had a chance from under five feet on the short 14th to lead on his own, but three-putted and then double-bogeyed the 16th after Singh had made a 25-footer for birdie.

Singh allowed everybody else to make mistakes in the windy conditions. Keeping a bogey off his card was the key to his success, achieved with a closing 68 for a 10-under-par total of 274.

Luke Donald and Swede Fredrik Jacobson finished in a share of fifth place four strokes back and while a 10-foot birdie putt on the last by Donald was worth a bunch of useful Ryder Cup points as well as money, of course, it was a case of what might have been.

Three successive birdies around the turn left the High Wycombe golfer only one behind, but he followed them with a double-bogey six on the 12th after driving wildly.

Playing partner Ian Poulter managed to follow up his best-of-the-day 65 in the third round with only a level-par 71 for ninth place, while Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell three-putted from nine feet for a last-green bogey six that dropped him to 12th.

European Tour number one David Howell also wanted to head to Winged Foot with a first American victory under his belt and was only two behind when he resumed, but a 74 left him tied for 13th.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington, meanwhile, closed with a 71 for 36th place.