GOLF: Vijay Singh fired a final round of eight under par 63 for a three shots victory in the Phoenix Open in Arizona yesterday.

Starting the day one off the pace set by overnight leader, Harrison Frazer, Singh was quickly into his stride. He birdied the first and second and then shot three birdies  in-a-row from the fourth and a sixth  at the ninth took him to the turn in 29.

He went seven under for the day at the 11th and dropped his only shot to par at the12th. However, he was back on track immediately with birdies at the 13th and 15th for an inward half of 34 and a four round total of 23 under par 261.

Singh finished three clear of John Huston who shot 67 for 264.

Meanwhile, Trevor Immelman fired a 71, his worst score of the weekend, but held on for his second title of 2003 at the Gary Player Country Club as Darren Clarke faded out of contention.

The South African claimed a one-stroke victory over countryman Andrew McLardy and American Bruce Vaughan.

Immelman, tied for the lead with Clarke on 11 under par through four holes on Saturday when darkness brought an end to play in the weather-interrupted tournament, returned at 6.0 a.m. yesterday to finish his third round, and he did so in style with a seven-under-par 65.

Immelman said: "I could handle playing 32 holes today, but being in contention for the last three weeks took a lot out of me. Coming down the stretch I was shaking and didn't feel like myself."

The 23-year-old won the South African Airways Open at the beginning of the year and finished joint second in the Dunhill Championship.

Clarke's challenge went astray at the 17th in his third round when he made a double bogey and ended up with a 69.

The Ulsterman then dropped two shots at the third in his final round and then had bogeys on three of his last five holes to shoot 76.

McLardy could have spoiled Immelman's celebrations had he made a five-foot birdie putt at the 18th but he had to settle for a 65 and a share of second place with Vaughan.

Vaughan birdied the 15th and 16th and could have forced a play-off at the last but missed a 25-foot birdie putt.

Meanwhile, before she gets a chance to play in a PGA Tour event,  Annika Sorenstam tried to further distance herself from the rest of the golf's best female players. Sorenstam joined Karrie Webb of Australia, Laura Davies of England and Laura Diaz yesterday  at Wailea Golf Club for the $600,000 LPGA Skins Game,

Sorenstam has shown interest in playing in a PGA Tour event, which could become a reality if the course and her schedule are a perfect fit.

One PGA Tour event organiser has already indicated a willingness to give her an exemption.

First, Sorenstam made her season debut at this unoffcial four-woman event, which she won in 1997.  She has collected $420,000 in three Skins Game appearances.