Singh Ends Victory Slump With First

<br>THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) _ The Houston Open had the look of a runaway victory _ to everyone but Vijay Singh. <br><br>Singh won his first PGA Tour title since the 2000 Masters, closing with a 4-under

Monday, April 1st 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) _ The Houston Open had the look of a runaway victory _ to everyone but Vijay Singh.

Singh won his first PGA Tour title since the 2000 Masters, closing with a 4-under 68 Sunday for a six-stroke victory with a tournament-record 22-under 266 total on the TPC at The Woodlands.

He earned $720,000 for his 10th PGA Tour title, but didn't rest easy until his closest rival, Darren Clarke, bogeyed No. 17.

``Darren really played well. It was closer than it looked,'' Singh said. ``He really didn't make a bad shot until his bogey on No. 17. That gave me a six-shot lead. I didn't have any trouble with that.''

Singh ended a string of 50 straight PGA Tour tournaments without a victory.

``It's been almost two years. I was wondering when the next one would come,'' Singh said. ``It couldn't be at a better time, two weeks before the Masters.''

Singh became the 14th straight different winner on the PGA Tour, the longest such stretch since 1994, when the tour went 20 straight tournaments without a repeat champion.

Clarke shot a 71 to finish second at 272. Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal was another stroke back after a 70. Jay Haas (69) and Shigeki Murayama (70) followed at 275.

``I knew I wasn't going to worry about anybody but Darren,'' Singh said. ``I played really well and kept him at bay. I really didn't want to worry about him and concentrate on what I was doing.''

Singh's 22-under total shattered the tournament record of 18 under, set by Curtis Strange in 1980 at Woodlands Country Club. Singh's margin of victory matched the tournament record set by Jackie Burke in 1952.

``You always get antsy when you don't win, it's just a matter of how you handle it,'' Singh said. ``Last year, I got a little antsy, and this year I decided to just concentrate on playing. Today, I wanted to play a solid round and that's what I did.''

Singh, who missed the cut last week at The Players Championship, birdied the first hole of the final round and tightened his grip on the lead at No. 13 when Clarke hit his tee shot out of bounds.

Singh took his second shot over the water and onto the green, and two-putted for birdie. Clark scrambled to save par.

Singh took a five-stroke lead when he narrowly missed an eagle putt and settled for a birdie on No. 15. When Clarke bogeyed No. 17, the lead reached six strokes.

Clarke got his first birdie on No. 5 and reached 17 under with a birdie on No. 7. He made the turn the same way he started the day, three shots behind Singh.

Clarke missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the first hole and narrowly missed a birdie putt on No. 12. Singh blasted out of a bunker on the hole and saved par to maintain his three-shot lead.

``That was a good up and down,'' Singh said. ``I hit a good second shot and I was surprised when it came up short. Those are the things that happen when you win a tournament. You see it every week.''

Singh was blowing away the field in Saturday's third round with a six-stroke lead. Then he bogeyed No. 14 and Clarke birdied to start a rally that gave him a chance going into the final round.

Hal Sutton, the defending champion, shot a 69 for a 282 total.

Greg Norman, playing the tournament for the first time since 1991, closed with a 76 to match Sutton at 282.

The tournament will be played at Redstone Golf Club beginning in 2003, ending a 27-year association with The Woodlands.