The victory gave Singh his second major title to add to the 1998 PGA Championship he claimed at Sahalee.

This is such a special tournament and having my family here to see me win it means a lot.

Vijay Singh

The world number eight, whose best result in six previous Masters was a tie for 17th in 1997, claimed a first prize of £524,000.

Els, who shot a 68 for the day's best round, finished at seven-under 281 to collect a runners-up check of £313,000.

David Duval and Loren Roberts tied for fourth at 213, followed by Tiger Woods at 214, with Tom Lehman another stroke back.

'Trust your swing'

Singh carried a message from his nine-year-old son Qass on his bag throughout the final day. It read: "Papa, trust your swing."

But the best club in the bag for the world number eight, one of the hardest workers in the game, was his putter for most of the week.

David Duval fell back at the final hole

Three times over the front nine Duval sank putts to draw level, but each time Singh followed him in.

Singh said: "I just focused on what I was doing. I only thought I had it won when I put my second onto the green at the last.

"The only way I could lose was if I bogeyed and David birdied.

"This is such a special tournament and having my family here to see me win it means a lot."

Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington finished joint 19th, Nick Faldo fell back to 28th on five-over with a 75 and Ian Woosnam finished seven-over alongside Darren Clarke.

Cool under pressure

Singh's three-stroke lead at the start of the final round was cut to two - when Duval birdied the second - and then to one when he three-putted the next.

Duval then holed from 12 feet at the short 10th, but Singh followed him in with an equally impressive putt.

US Masters: Recent winners

2000: V Singh 1999: J M Olazabal 1998: M O'Meara 1997: T Woods 1996: N Faldo 1995: B Crenshaw

Entering Amen Corner, the famous three stretch of holes from the 11th, Singh wobbled, however. He went into the water with his second to the 11th, but escaped with a bogey five, then got up and down from sand at the dangerous 12th after finding the bunker.

When he at last hit the green at the long 13th in two, Duval felt the need to attack - and paid the price.

The ball went into Rae's Creek, he bogeyed and Singh two-putted for birdie.

Els continued to stay in the hunt with birdies at the 13th and 15th, but when Singh hit a glorious long iron around the trees on the 15th and two-putted for a matching birdie it was his to lose.

Woods humbled

World number one Woods, who had been joint 47th with 30 holes to play, continued his late charge, but was able to birdie only one hole on the back nine.

He managed short birdies at the second and fourth, but pushed his tee shot right at the sixth.

He followed with an eight-foot birdie at the seventh and a chip to two feet to birdie the eighth. But a string of pars then followed until a 15-foot birdie at the 15th which proved too little too late.

"For some reason the golfing gods weren't looking down on me the right way this week," Woods said.

"I got off to the ideal start. I was right in the ball game.

"I felt if I could keep going along, if I could post 8- or 9-under I could win. But it wasn't meant to be."

Leading final positions

US unless stated, par 72

10 under - Vijay Singh (Fiji)
7 under - Ernie Els (SA)
6 under - Loren Roberts David Duval
4 under - Tiger Woods

Selected Others

3 over - Colin Montgomerie (GB) Padraig Harrington (Ire)
5 over - Nick Faldo (GB) Bernhard Langer (Ger)
7 over - Darren Clarke (GB) Ian Woosnam (GB) Sergio Garcia (Spain)