``I was hoping he was going to make it. I was praying to God he made it,'' Woods said. ``I'm glad I could sleep a little better tonight.''

Stewart hit the long, pressure-packed putt on the 18th green to finish one stroke ahead of challenger Phil Mickelson. Stewart, 42, finished four rounds at 279 as the only golfer below par. It appeared the championship would go to a playoff between Stewart and Mickelson, who had led by one stroke on the 16th hole, when Stewart's 18th hole drive shanked right into the rough. He had to punch out and his third shot left him nearly 10 metres distant and well below the hole.

After Mickelsoncompleted his putts for par it was up to Stewart to sink his demanding putt or finish tied with Mickelson. Stewart calmly sank the putt with a soft, straight stroke then erupted in fist-pumping joy as he became the sixth oldest man in US Open history to win the championship.

Woods and Singh finished tied for third at one over par. Earlier, Woods put himself in contention for his first US Open crown with birdies on the 14th and 16th holes, each prompting the fist-pumping fury that signals a Tiger on the prowl.

But the Tiger trap came when his three-foot putt on the 17th hole nicked the inner left edge and rolled out.