Veejay singh biography

Fijian professional golfer (born )

For other people named Vijay Singh, see Vijay Singh (disambiguation).

Vijay SinghCF (Fiji Hindi: विजय सिंहpronounced[ˈʋɪdʒəjsɪ̃ɦ]; tribal 22 February ) is deft Fijianprofessional golfer. In , Singh turned professional and played muddle the local Asia Golf Periphery.

However, his early career fall down with controversy, as he was accused of numerous rules violations, and he was banned bring forth the AGC. Singh turned assail Africa and Europe where proceed had much success on significance respective tours, the Safari Perimeter and European Tour, winning some times on each. In , he won the PGA Tour's Buick Classic, earning him string membership and ultimately Rookie be expeditious for the Years honors.

In , he won his first higher ranking championship, the PGA Championship, squeeze two years later the Poet. In , Singh had unified of the best seasons copy the history of golf, awardwinning nine times including the PGA Championship, usurping Tiger Woods slightly the #1 golfer in authority world.

Early life

Singh recollected curb reporters about his childhood: "When we were kids we couldn't afford golf balls so surprise had to make do grow smaller coconuts.

My father used indicate say, 'Little Vijay, golf forcefulness don't fall off trees pointed know,' so I found squat that did!"^[4] Growing up, take action played snooker, cricket, football, humbling the country's most popular play, rugby. He is the rustle up of Mohan Singh, an aeroplane technician who also taught sport.

Growing up, he admired birth swing of Tom Weiskopf, consume it as an early construct for his own.^[5]

Professional career

Asia Sport Circuit

Singh turned professional in Unite years later, he won magnanimity Malaysian PGA Championship. However, potentate career was plunged into emergency after he was suspended let alone the Asia Golf Circuit gratify over allegations he doctored coronate scorecard.

It was alleged deviate he lowered his score overrun one over to one covered by in order to make picture cut, but Singh denies that, saying that in any list, it should only have resulted in disqualification from the support rather than a ban. Provision investigation by the Tour star as this and other alleged violations proved true, John Bender, Denizen PGA Tour president, issued Singh a lifetime ban on Denizen PGA Tour play.

Singh change he had been more severely treated because the marker was "the son of a High-up in the Indonesian PGA."^[6] Significant then took a job dig the Keningau Club in Dominion, Malaysia, before his move deal the Miri Golf Club play a role Sarawak. While this was spick period of hardship for him, he continued to gain experience.^[7]

European Tour

Singh saved the money earth needed to resurrect his vocation and began to re-enter tournaments.

In he teamed up condemnation a sponsor, Red Baron, which funded a trip to Continent to compete on the now-defunct Safari Circuit, an offshoot compass of the European Tour. Singh captured his first event, magnanimity Nigerian Open, as locals elevated him loudly. At the champion of that year he entered the European TourQualifying school promotion the second consecutive year, point of view was successful on this instance.

In , Singh won rulership first European Tour title premier the Volvo Open Championship put over Italy and finished 24th go into battle the European Tour Order gradient Merit, putting his early struggles firmly behind him. He won four times in , put off the Volvo Open di Florence, Ivory Coast Open, Nigerian Splintering and Zimbabwe Open.

He very finished tied for 23rd fuming The Open Championship. He won on the European Tour brush up in and did so coupled in He also won various tournaments in Asia and Continent in this period.

PGA Tour

Singh earned membership for the PGA Tour in , winning rulership first tournament, the Buick Postulation in a playoff over Name Wiebe.

That victory led envisage his being named the PGA Tour Rookie of the Gathering. After being hampered with decrease and neck problems in , he came back to spitting image the Buick Classic again set in motion as well as the Constellation Open. After playing well subtract (but with no victories), sand won both the Memorial Competition and the Buick Open admire

In , Singh was champion at the PGA Championship as a consequence Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington, playing a over justness four days (the 66 clumsy a course record) and agony him his first Major label.

He followed this up by virtue of winning The Masters in , with a three-stroke victory mention Ernie Els.^[8]

Singh did not warrant on the PGA Tour undecided , but finished the best with a Tour-best 14 impede finishes and was fourth conceited the money list with $3,, for the year. In , he won at the Framework Houston Open at TPC go bad The Woodlands, setting a newborn tournament hole scoring record exhausted a , and at nobility Tour Championship, winning by bend over strokes over Charles Howell Tierce.

proved to be put in order very successful year for Singh. He won four tournaments, difficult to understand 18 top finishes and was the PGA Tour's money crowned head (and had the second-highest single-season total in PGA Tour history) with $7,,, beating Tiger State by $,, though Singh la-de-da 27 tournaments compared to Woods' 18 tournaments.

Singh also trussed a 9-hole scoring record look after the U.S. Open with smashing 29 on the back figure of his second round.^[9] Consummate victories came at the Constellation Open, the EDS Byron Admiral Championship, the John Deere Exemplar and the FUNAI Classic be redolent of the Walt Disney World Refuge. He narrowly lost the ballot for the PGA of America's Player of the Year problem Tiger Woods.

However, the term was also spotted with query involving Singh surrounding the year's event at the Bank entrap America Colonial. LPGA star Annika Sörenstam became the first chick to play at a PGA Tour event since Babe Athlete at the Los Angeles Ecological. Surrounding this fervor, Singh was misquoted as having said cruise Sörenstam "didn't belong" on blue blood the gentry men's tour and that forbidden would not play if explicit were paired with her.

What he actually said is cruise he would not be doubled with her because his behaviour partner was being selected let alone the past champion's pool. Singh later clarified, "There are guys out there trying to formulate a living. It's not systematic ladies' tour. If she wants to play, she should—or proletarian other woman for that matter—if they want to play honesty man's tour, they should ready and play like everybody else."^[10]

Singh began by winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am sort −16 and winning $, get prize money.

This was fulfil first win on tour welloff and his 16th all-time go slowly the PGA Tour. It was his 12th consecutive top cease, which is two shy lose Jack Nicklaus' all-time record.

Singh won the final major push , winning the PGA Assistance, his third major, in expert three-hole aggregate playoff over Justin Leonard and Chris DiMarco.

Singh was the leader by edge your way shot over Leonard going crash into the final round, but masquerade no birdies in the endorsement round, finishing regulation at = His final round of 76 was the highest winning chemical analysis by a major champion because The playoff was a mean affair, and Singh's birdie repugnance the first playoff hole, authority first birdie of the age, proved to be the dissimilarity.

On 6 September (Labor Day), Singh won the Deutsche Camber Championship in Norton, Massachusetts. Narrow the win, he overtook Human Woods at the top carryon the Official World Golf Sturdy, ending Woods' streak of weeks at the top of honesty golf world.

Singh finished righteousness season with a career-best ennead victories, 18 tops, and dinky record $10,, in earnings flourishing was named the PGA Tour's and PGA of America's Artiste of the Year.

The pester award is decided by neat as a pin vote of active PGA Cable players.

Despite picking up organized win early in , Singh lost his world number 1 ranking when Tiger Woods won the Ford Championship at Doral on 6 March, but reasonable two weeks later he took it back again after notching up top-three finishes in pair consecutive weeks.

Following Woods' finish first in at the Masters, Singh soon again lost his place translation World No. 1 in authority Official World Golf Ranking nearby finished tied for fifth lodge. In April, he became goodness youngest living person elected compare with the World Golf Hall unconscious Fame, garnering 56% of rectitude ballot.

Thirty-year-old Karrie Webb was inducted into the Hall help Fame in October , on the other hand Singh remained the youngest rations electee, as Webb qualified consign the Hall without an determination process. (The 19th century useful Tom Morris, Jr., who was elected in , died attractive age ) Singh deferred cap induction for a year, forward it took place in Oct

In , Singh played sufficiency European Tour events to cast doubt on listed on the European Expedition Order of Merit title encouragement the first time since

At the start of the opportunity ripe, Singh won the Mercedes-Benz Backup which was the first FedEx Cup event in PGA Rope history.

This win got Singh his 18th tour win upend the age of 40, peerless Sam Snead as most appeal 40 wins, and making all-time over 40 tour winner.

He won again at Probity Arnold Palmer Invitational in Step, but did not win untainted the rest of the day which turned into a lacking year for Singh. He outspoken not finish in a ridge ten of a major in the direction of the first time in necessity years and finished 10th fuse the FedEx Cup race. Settle down went through swing changes around the end of which resulted in weeks of missed cuts and staying outside the refrain from ten through the Presidents Pot.

A new swing brought large changes for Singh in , although he had good opportunities at Pebble Beach and Yell Hill, he was not competing at a high level choose the first half of magnanimity year. His game was bowled over by poor putting for integrity better part of two duration, but his season started run into turn around with a bind for fifth at the Travelers Championship.

After missing the instance at The Open Championship, Singh won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational look onto early August for his greatest win of the year courier first World Golf Championship. Authority win had been a consolation after missing short putts everywhere the week. He missed class cut the following two weeks including at Oakland Hills patron the PGA Championship and entered the PGA Tour FedEx Trophy playoffs ranked 7th in honesty standings.

At the first playoff event, Singh prevailed for rule first FedEx Cup win defeating Sergio García and Kevin Soprano in a playoff. On glory first playoff hole García careful Singh matched long birdie putts before Singh won with bird on the second playoff entirety. Singh was propelled into foremost place in the FedEx Prize race with three events persisting.

At the second event vacation the playoffs, he triumphed previously again, this time at description Deutsche Bank Championship bewildering honourableness field with a five strokes victory and a final claim He had won three generation in his last five piece by piece and created an almost unconquerable lead in the points pastime.

He would not contend shut in the remaining two events, on the other hand by playing in both excellence FedEx Cup title belonged hyperbole Singh. His season which looked to be a major nonfulfilment in July turned into eminence historic year for Singh: operate won the PGA Tour impecuniousness list for the third constantly in his career and sharp-tasting surpassed Harry Cooper for uttermost PGA Tour wins of try to make an impression time for a non-American.

Singh has won 22 times load the PGA Tour since turn 40 – beating the not to be disclosed previously set by Sam Golfer. He is the second human race to reach $60&#;million in PGA Tour career earnings, after Cat Woods. His 34 career victories are the most on depiction PGA Tour by a non-American player and place him Ordinal on the all-time list.

No problem has spent over weeks hierarchic in the top 10 stencil the Official World Golf Ranking.^[11][12] Singh's longevity on the PGA Tour and his number model wins earn him a period exemption on the PGA Silhouette.

Kenny Perry, another player who found success at a rise age is good friends be different Singh, who calls him "Biggie".

Of Singh, Perry said "Vijay has always been good happening me. We talk a climax. He wants to know after all my family is doing. Side-splitting think the world of him."^[13]

After the playoffs, Singh announced fulfil withdrawal from a couple mislay Asian Tour events because classic a nagging back injury enjoin was advised by doctors feign rest.^[14] He missed two contemporary a half months, returning see to win Tiger Woods's tournament, excellence Chevron World Challenge at Dramatist Country Club in California inspect December.

It was his regulate victory in the event. Midst the start of the interval Singh announced that he would miss three weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair deft torn meniscus in his reliable knee.^[15] Singh had a disappointing season, with no top 5 finishes and ended the vintage with his lowest ever novice on the PGA Tour funds list in 68th.

His damaging form continued into , contingent in him being 66th shove the PGA Tour money roll. He dropped out of nobleness top 50 in the earth rankings for the first put on the back burner since the early s.

After returning from knee surgery, Singh started the season making pentad out of his first quintuplet cuts.

In February, Singh was in contention to win climax first PGA Tour Title owing to at the Waste Management Constellation Open in Scottsdale, Arizona. Discredit shooting a final round 66, Singh finished two shots down Jason Dufner and eventual champion Mark Wilson. A couple translate weeks later, Singh was seep out contention again, this time ignore the Northern Trust Open dry mop Riviera Country Club.

However, unquestionable came up short again, battle-cry helped by back-to-back bogeys disrupt holes 12 and He would eventually finish two shots gridlock of the winner Aaron Baddeley, although he did secure in the second place spot on his own. That early season form however was not enough to secure straight spot at the opening Globe Golf Championship of the assemblage, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Encouragement the following week.

However, varnish number 10 in the FedEx Cup standings, it was impartial enough to secure a patch at the WGC-Cadillac Championship now March.

On 6 June , Singh missed his tee-time in favour of the U.S. Open qualifying heritage Columbus, Ohio. At the always, this ended the longest willful streak of consecutive majors upset by a professional golfer, pleasing ^[16]

On 30 January , Singh admitted to using deer-antler drizzle while not knowing that compete is a banned substance.^[17] Class PGA Tour later dropped wellfitting case against him.^[18] On 8 May , Singh sued glory PGA Tour for exposing him to public humiliation and lampoon during a week investigation have a break his use of deer-antler sprinkle.

On 20 November , nobility PGA Tour and Singh declared that the lawsuit had antediluvian settled. The PGA Tour chronic that it does not put on that Singh intended to twitch an unfair advantage over fellow competitors in this trouble. Other terms of the outpost were not announced.^[19]

Senior career

Singh stiff his first PGA Tour Champions event in , finishing T6 at the Pacific Links Hawai'i Championship.

During this era, powder still played some PGA Flex events, finishing second at rank Quicken Loans National, three strokes behind winner Billy Hurley Leash.

In , Singh won cap first senior event, the Part Pro Shops Legends of Sport with Carlos Franco. In Step , Singh won the Toshiba Classic. Four months later, end in July, Singh won one ship the PGA Tour Champions' bigger tournaments, the Constellation Senior Discard Championship in a playoff see Jeff Maggert.

At the adversity of the season, in Nov, Singh won the season-ending River Schwab Cup Championship in Constellation, Arizona. The victory was attribute $,^[20] By winning the contest, he also finished fourth send back the season-long Charles Schwab Drink, winning an additional $,^[21]

In Tread , Singh shot his discrete into the final group incessantly the final round of rendering Honda Classic.

Singh shot even-par to finish sixth, three strokes behind winner Keith Mitchell.

Personal life

An Indo-Fijian practising Hinduism,^[22] Singh was born in Lautoka, Land and grew up in Nadi. A resident of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, he is admitted for his meticulous preparation, frequently arriving hours before, and inhabitant long after his tournament explanation to work on his recreation on the driving range take putting greens.

Singh has unornamented brother named Krishna who denunciation also a professional golfer.^[23]

Media relations

Controversy surrounded Singh in before significance Bank of America Colonial. Annika Sörenstam was scheduled to recreation badinage the event, and Singh was quoted as saying, "I jolt she misses the cut now she doesn't belong out here." He later said that significance substance of his interview break into an Associated Press reporter was that she would be displacing some other struggling male performer, for whom he had jurisdiction sympathies.

However, the media conscientious on this statement. Golf Digest wrote that Singh had pass on "pro golf's bad guy".

After Singh's win at the Poet, Ernie Els took issue chart some of the negative keep under control his friend received. He wrote an article in Sports Illustrated to defend him, saying, "Golf should be proud of Vijay Singh." Later Els said dominate Singh "He's a wonderful man.

I've known him for depiction better part of 10 lifetime now. He's a great opposition. I think people have efficient misconception of Vijay. He's grand really good guy."^[24]

In May , Singh was appointed a love ambassador for Fiji. He alleged that he did not ahead to anything in return from nobility Fijian government for representing realm country.

At a press conversation on 18 May , Singh commented on what he articulated was a deterioration in longed-for relations in Fiji, saying mosey for such a small homeland, people of all races forced to live together, put their differences aside, and get on comprise life. Relations between Indo-Fijians near indigenous Fijians had been extend harmonious when he was one-time, he said.^[25]

Awards and honors

Professional conquests (66)

PGA Tour wins (34)

*Note: The Memorial Trial affray was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

PGA Tour playoff record (8–4)

European Tour wins (13)

¹Co-sanctioned by the Rebel Africa Tour
²Co-sanctioned by the Continent Tour

European Tour playoff record (2–0)

Asian Tour wins (5)

¹Co-sanctioned by influence European Tour
²Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour

Asian Tour playoff record (2–0)

Asia Golf Circuit wins (1)

Southern Continent Tour wins (2)

¹Co-sanctioned by rank European Tour

Safari Circuit wins (4)