Golf: Singh sings all way to bank

VIJAY SINGH, who equalled the course record of 64 for the second day running, won the Volvo German Open by 11 shots in Dusseldorf yesterday. The 29-year-old Fijian sank a 14-foot birdie putt on Hubbelrath's final green to complete the biggest one-man show on the European Tour since Colin Montgomerie took the Portuguese Open by the same margin three years ago.

Singh walked away with the pounds 87,500 first prize - his fourth in Europe and second this season - with a 26-under par total of 262. Only once before has there been a better sub-par aggregate, when the Canadian Jerry Anderson finished 27 under in lifting the European Masters-Swiss Open in 1984.

'I played really well,' Singh, who took a seven-stroke lead into the closing round, said. 'I thought that if I kept playing the way I was it would be impossible to catch me. I only missed one green and I putted great.'

Second was the little-known Spaniard, Jose Carriles, whose 68 put him a shot ahead of Australia's Wayne Grady and two clear of Britain's Ian Woosnam.

Singh, who now jumps from 13th to sixth in the Volvo Order of Merit with almost pounds 240,000, added: 'Above all I just wanted a good win when some of the top players were in the field.'

Singh found only one fairway on the front nine, yet turned in 32 to remove any doubts about who was going to win. He saved par at the first after cutting a one-iron into a bunker, then had four birdies in six holes from the third, making putts of nine, eight, 15 and eight feet.

The tall Fijian was also in sand off the tee at the 400-yard ninth, but again found the green and two-putted. Already on 22 under and eight shots clear of the field, he then holed from eight feet at the 386-yard 13th, 10 feet on the 427-yard 15th and five feet on the long 17th before applying his final record-equalling flourish.

Grady, making his first appearance in the event since winning it eight years ago, birdied the final hole from eight feet to take third place from Woosnam, who led by two strokes after the second round. 'Vijay's scores were brilliant,' Woosnam said.

VOLVO GERMAN OPEN (Hubbelrath, Dusseldorf) Leading final scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 262 V Singh (Fiji) 66 68 64 64. 273 J Carriles (Sp) 69 69 67 68. 274 W Grady (Aus) 70 71 64 69. 275 I Woosnam 67 65 73 70. 276 F Nobilo (NZ) 65 71 71 69; M Mackenzie 68 69 69 70. 277 A Sherborne 71 68 69 69. 278 M Farry (Fr) 69 69 71 69; E Romero (Arg) 69 66 71 72; J Hawksworth 66 69 71 72; P O'Malley (Aus) 68 68 69 73. 279 R McFarlane 72 66 72 69; B Lane 64 70 74 71; J Spence 69 70 69 71; D Gilford 71 68 69 71; C Mason 72 66 69 72; G Levenson (SA) 68 66 71 74. 280 G Turner (NZ) 70 66 74 70; J Rivero (Spain) 74 68 68 70; M A Jimenez (Spain) 71 72 65 72. 281 J Sewell 69 70 75 67; R Davis (Aus) 69 66 75 71; P Baker 71 70 69 71; S McAllister 68 70 70 73; S Grappasonni (It) 70 69 69 73; P Way 68 69 70 74; F Lindgren (Swe) 70 68 69 74. 282 M McLean 72 68 74 68; D Pooley (US) 69 71 72 70; M Roe 70 72 69 71; R Lee 70 71 70 71; J-M Canizares (Sp) 69 70 71 72; S Struver (Ger) 70 69 71 72. 283 B Langer (Ger) 72 71 72 68; B Ogle (Aus) 71 71 72 69; M Davis 72 68 70 73; J Haeggman (Swe) 70 71 69 73; A Cejka (Ger) 69 73 67 74; G Day (US) 68 68 72 75; M Gates 72 69 67 75; C Rocca (It) 67 69 71 76. 284 M Allen (US) 74 69 71 70; M Brooks (US) 69 72 72 71; S Torrance 74 69 70 71; H P Thuel (Ger) 71 69 72 72; E Giraud (Fr) 67 69 71 77. 285 B Marchbank 73 70 72 70; W Westner (SA) 72 69 73 71; H Baiocchi (SA) 70 72 71 72; J Berendt (Arg) 71 71 70 73; P Mitchell 73 69 68 75.

VOLVO EUROPEAN TOUR Order of Merit: 1 N Faldo pounds 465,319.60; 2 A Forsbrand (Swe) pounds 302,271.18; 3 J-M Olazabal (Sp) pounds 297,126.77; 4 T Johnstone (Zim) pounds 275,247.06; 5 B Langer (Ger) pounds 258,968.32; 6 V Singh (Fiji) pounds 239,764.07; 7 C Montgomerie pounds 231,870.25; 8 G Brand Jnr pounds 199,295.09; 9 P Senior (Aus) pounds 194,444.66; 10 J Rivero (Sp) pounds 193,062.23.