Singh on song: Wins Houston title again

Vijay Singh, newly inducted into the world golf hall of fame, defeated John Daly on the first playoff hole Sunday to become the first player...

Vijay Singh, newly inducted into the world golf hall of fame, defeated John Daly on the first playoff hole Sunday to become the first player to win back-to-back Houston Open titles. Both Singh and Daly finished 72 holes at 13-under-par 275.

Back at 18 for the playoff, Singh pushed his drive right into the rough. Daly, who had birdied 18 to tie Singh, hit a through the fairway and into the water, essentially handing Singh the title.

“In the playoff, I came over the three-wood,” Daly said. “I put a good swing on it, just

turned it over a little too much. I wish I would have done better in the playoff.”

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Singh reached the green with his second shot, and two-putted from 45 feet to close out his second victory of the season. He improved to 6-2 in playoffs, including a win at the PGA championship last season, while Daly dropped to 2-1.

Singh, who has won three of the last four tournaments here, entered the final round tied with Australian Gavin Coles for the lead and carded a 70.

Daly finished about 30 minutes before Singh but watched the action from the press tent and the 18th green rather than heading to the practice range — a decision that in hindsight looked questionable but one that Daly did not second-guess.

Atwal slips, finishes 55th

HOUSTON

: Arjun Atwal slipped in the final round, bringing home a card of four-over 76, to finish tied 55th in the $5 million Shell Houston Open here.

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Atwal tallied two-over 290 with rounds of 69, 70, 75 and 76 to earn a little over $11,000 from the event.

Atwal was well placed after first two rounds of 69 and 70 at five-under. But then he had a lot of trouble at the tough holes between 16th and 18th on the last two days.

Barring the second day, he dropped at least two strokes each of the other three days. In the third round, he dropped three shots on three holes.

In the final round, he seemed to be progressing well as he had a birdie on second, but then he bogeyed the fourth and seventh.

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On the back nine, it was disastrous, as he birdied just once but bogeyed four on the 11th, 13th, 16th and 18th holes.