With a lucky bounce out of the trees, a spectacular recovery from the woods and nerves of steel down the stretch in a steady rain, Singh won the PGA Championship with a 2-under 68.

The 35-year-old from Fiji two-putted for par on the 18th -- his fourth par on the toughest hole at Sahalee Country Club -- to finish at 9-under 271 for a two-stroke victory over Steve Stricker.

It was the 10th time in 11 years that a player won his first major championship at the PGA.

For Vijay -- a Hindu name that means victory -- it ended years of grinding away for hours at a time in search of a game that would give him one of golf's ultimate prizes.

He would practice on the far end of the driving range where he wouldn't be disturbed. He would rearrange the furniture in hotel rooms to give him room to practice at night.

It all paid offyesterday in what amounted to match play against Stricker, two men in search of their first major championship, both playing well enough to put a worthy collection of challengers at a distance.

Singh finally got some breathing room when he saved par from the bunker on No 17 from about 18 feet (5.5 metres) and Stricker couldn't match him. He blasted out of the same bunker to 15 feet (4.6 metres), but the putt grazed by the left side of the hole to put Stricker two strokes back.

All that stood between Singh and the Wanamaker Trophy was an accurate drive on the 475-yard (434-metre) finishing hole, and he split the middle.

Stricker closed with a 70 for 273. Steve Elkington, the 1995 champion held back all year by health problems, shot 67 and finished third at 274.Stricker, who recovered from a disastrous 1997 season when he struggled through equipment changes, couldn't reach down and make the putt on No 17 that would have kept him within one shot of the lead.

Singh, who won for the sixth time in Americaand 24th time around the globe, collecting $540,000, ended a steak of five straight majors won by American players and kept them from sweeping the majors for the first time since 1982.