Singh clinches title with final hole birdie

World number two Vijay Singh capped a dramatic comeback with a birdie on the 18th hole to win the New Orleans Classic by one shot on Monday.

Singh, four shots behind leader Joe Ogilvie when the final round began, shot a nine-under-par 63, including a seven-under 29 over the final nine holes, to finish on 22-under 266.

He won his second straight title on the PGA Tour and his third of the season.

Ogilvie carded a 68 and shared second place with U.S. Masters champion Phil Mickelson on 267. Mickelson birdied the 18th for a 66.

Japan's Hidemichi Tanaka took fourth on 269, one shot ahead of Britain's Justin Rose and Charles Howell III.

Singh also won the Houston Open last week, finishing on a Monday due to weather delays. He has won the last three events on the PGA Tour that have finished on a Monday and four in his career.

Rain and thunder storms forced suspensions of play on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The field did not complete the second round until Sunday morning.

With nine holes remaining in the final round, Fiji's Singh had fallen six shots off the lead, as Ogilvie fashioned a four-under front nine.

Singh began to find his game at the 11th, where he made the first of three consecutive birdies.

Ogilvie continued making steady pars and, with four holes left to play, maintained a three-stroke advantage over Singh and Mickelson.

Singh vaulted ahead of Mickelson when he holed a 15-foot putt for eagle at the par-five 15th hole while Mickelson birdied.

Ogilvie chose to lay up at the 15th, missed his birdie putt and settled for par. At the 16th hole, Singh, playing one group ahead of Ogilvie, stuck his approach within two feet for an easy birdie that gained him a share of the lead.

After parring the 17th, Singh found the fairway at the long, par-four closing hole, but left his approach 29 feet short of the pin. His uphill putt died into the right centre of the hole for a birdie and the lead.

Ogilvie was not finished, however. After finding the right-hand rough with his tee shot, he plunked his approach into the sand bunker guarding the front of the green.

Needing to hole out to tie and force a playoff, he nearly did so but his bunker shot died less than an inch from the hole.

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