Fijian Vijay Singh fought off the challenge from Ireland’s Padraig Harrington to claim the Carlsberg Malaysian Open and winner’s cheque for Stg£104,000 in Kuala Lumpur today.
For the second week running on the European Tour it took a playoff to decide the outcome.The US Masters champion triumphed aftermaking birdie on the third playoff hole consigningHarrington to the runners-up spot for the second year in a row.
After final rounds of 68 and 70 for Singh and Harrington respectively, the pair were tied on 14-under-par at the monsoon stricken Saujana Golf and Country Club.
Harrington, who claimed his game was ‘rusty’ coming into the event, had a two shot lead over Singh with two holes to play.The margin was helped significantly by the Fijian who took a double bogey on the 17th after a wayward first drive out of bounds.
However, the 37-year-old held his nerve and made a solid birdie on the par five 18th while the Dubliner could only limp home with a bogey, par finish to force sudden death.
In the playoff both players made pars on the 18th the first time round and followed with birdies the second time before play switched to the 17th.
Singh attempted to drive the green once again and this time he succeeded in hitting the putting surface, setting up his birdie.
Harrington also attempted to hit the 360-yard dogleg par four but came up short and the Ryder Cup player failed to hole his birdie putt from eight feet to keep the playoff going.
The 29-year-old has now lost three playoffs in his professional career, whereas Singh has won in four sudden death situations in as many attempts.
Meanwhile American Dan Bateman finished tied for third with Korea’s Charlie Wi on 12-under-par.
This year’s Heineken Classic winner, Michael Campbell had a disappointingday and his final round of 73 dropped the Kiwi back to a tie for seventh on eight-under-par.
One of the main attractions on show this week, double major winner John Daly,finished with a pair of 69’s in the last two rounds to share a tie for 14th.