Fiji's Vijay Singh finally earned his Tour Championship title, carding a three-under-par 67 for a two-stroke victory over Charles Howell III.

Singh led by at least two shots all day at overcast East Lake Golf Club and built some breathing room with consecutive birdies from the ninth.

He added a birdie at the 15th hole en route to a 72-hole total of 12-under 268.

Of the three Tour Championships held at East Lake, Singh held the 54-hole lead each time.

But he lost a playoff to Hal Sutton in 1998 and finished third in 2000.

With the 900,000 US dollar top prize, Singh finished third on the money list with a career-best 3.75 million.

He also won the 500,000 bonus for finishing top of the the standings in the PGA Tour's Fall Finish.

Singh recorded his first two-win season since 1998, having claimed the Houston Open in March.

The two-time major winner earned his 11th PGA Tour title and fifth with Tiger Woods in the field, which is one off the tour high.

Howell was within a stroke when Singh bogeyed the first hole, but he didn't sink his first birdie until the 12th.

A five-under 30 on the back nine gave the 2001 Rookie of the Year a 66 and a second-place finish at 10-under 270.

Woods and Phil Mickelson - the top-ranked players in the world - were in the penultimate pairing but never threatened.

Woods posted a 70 and tied for seventh at 276, while Mickelson shot a 69 and tied for fifth at 275.

Woods tied Tom Watson's record by winning his fourth straight money title, finishing with more than 6.8 million.

He also ended the year with a tour-best five titles, including two of his eight career major victories.

Final round scores & totals in the Tour Championship, East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta

(Par 70, USA Unless stated)

268 Vijay Singh (Fij) 65 71 65 67

270 Charles Howell III 66 69 69 66

273 David Toms 70 66 70 67

274 Jerry Kelly 71 69 67 67

275 Davis Love III 72 70 68 65, Phil Mickelson 70 69 67 69

276 Chris DiMarco 70 68 69 69, Tiger Woods 71 68 67 70

277 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 69 69 72 67, KJ Choi (Kor) 71 68 70 68

278 Bob Estes 72 69 73 64, Scott McCarron 70 69 69 70

279 Rocco Mediate 74 73 68 64, Ernie Els (Rsa) 73 69 70 67, Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn) 68 73 70 68, John Rollins 70 71 70 68, Steve Lowery 65 71 73 70

280 Justin Leonard 71 73 71 65, Jim Furyk 68 73 72 67, Len Mattiace 68 68 74 70, Kenny Perry 71 69 68 72

281 Nick Price (Zim) 73 68 68 72, Robert Allenby (Aus) 74 69 66 72

282 Fred Funk 67 71 76 68, Jeff Sluman 72 72 68 70

283 Chris Riley 72 69 74 68, Rich Beem 70 72 70 71

285 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 71 73 72 69

287 Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa) 74 71 71 71

289 Loren Roberts 71 71 77 70