Can Singh reign?
Fiji's world-class golfer a favorite at Honda
Posted: Sunday March 14, 1999 02:45 PM
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Singh is hoping to improve upon last year's second-place finish at the Honda Classic. AP |
By Benjamin Berman, CNN/SI
Once one of the PGA's best players never to win a major, Vijay Singh is now simply one of the PGA's best. CNNSI.com's Player to Watch this week at the Honda Classic, Singh has come a long way on the Tour in a very short time.
Fiji's only world-class golfer ranks fourth in all-around statistics on the PGA Tour this year, including 11th in birdie average with 4.06 per round. Singh is second in total driving, mainly because his driving accuracy is at 76.7 percent. His scoring average is just under 70, good for 18th on Tour.
The good numbers have led to success for Singh, who has two Top 10 finishes in seven events in 1999, including a fourth-place finish at the Mercedes Championships.
Last week at Doral he failed to make the cut for the first time this year, thanks to a 77 in the second round. Don't expect Singh to miss this weekend in Coral Springs. This golfer rarely misses two cuts in a row.
In fact, Singh began the '98 season with 48 consecutive cuts made. He stretched the streak to 53 in a row before missing the cut at the Masters. Still, he is tied with Tom Kite for fifth place on the all-time list.
The big story for Singh last season was his victory at the PGA Championship -- the PGA's fourth and final major.
Why Vijay Singh is a
Honda Classic favorite |
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1999 is 4th in all-around PGA statistics.
1999 has two top-ten finishes in seven events.
1998 finished second at the Honda Classic.
1998 won PGA Championship.
1998 had $2,238,998 in PGA earnings, second on Tour.
1997-1998 went 53 tournaments without missing a cut, ties him for fifth place on all-time.
1996-1998 had two top-ten finishes at Honda.
1993 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.
7 PGA victories since he joined in 1993.
17 international victories since he turned pro in 1982.
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Singh, whose first name means "victory" in Hindi, was dominant in winning his first major. He fired an opening round even-par 70 and followed it with a course-record 66 that gave him a one-stroke lead.
His third-round 67 was good enough for a tie atop the leaderboard with Steve Stricker. On Sunday, Singh was too much for Stricker, firing a closing 68 to win by two strokes.
In winning the PGA Championship and the $540,000 first-place check, he became the 10th winner in the past 11 years to make that title his first major championship. The title also gave him exempt status through 2003.
Further making his mark in 1998, Singh won the Sprint International the next weekend. All in all, he earned $900,000 in two weekends.
Singh walked away with $2,238,998 in earnings in 1998, good for second on the circuit, and finished in the Top 10 seven times.
Singh emerged as an elite member of the PGA Tour in 1997, winning two Tour events and earning more than $1 million for the second time in his career. He racked up nine Top 25 finishes and four Top 10s that season. He also captured two international victories.
Singh, who has seven PGA victories since joining the PGA Tour in 1993, has made an even bigger impression internationally. He started playing professionally in 1982 and has amassed 17 international victories.
But why Singh this weekend?
Let's start with last year's Honda Classic, where Singh finished second. He posted rounds of 70-68-68-67--273 to finish second, three strokes behind Mark Calcavecchia.
Singh has fared well at the Honda Classic, posting two Top 10s in the last three years.
According to Honda Classic spokesman Gary Ferman, the TPC Cat Heron Bay plays to the accurate, long driver. The course is 7,268 yards long and has several bunkers in most fairways, making it tough to stay out of trouble off the tee.
And in the past three years, there aren't many golfers more accurate with the No. 1 wood than Singh.
With the course playing to his advantage and his recent success, Vijay Singh is the Player to Watch at the Honda Classic.
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