| Vijay Singh - Biographical Information | |||
Courtesy /Edited |
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EXEMPT STATUS: Winner, 2000 Masters (through 2005) FULL NAME: Vijay Singh HEIGHT: 6-2 WEIGHT: 198 BIRTHDATE: February 22, 1963 BIRTHPLACE: Lautoka, Fiji RESIDENCE: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL FAMILY: Wife, Ardena Seth; Qass Seth (6/19/90) SPECIAL INTERESTS: Snooker, cricket, rugby, soccer TURNED PROFESSIONAL: 1982 JOINED TOUR: Spring 1993 |
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| PGA TOUR Victories |
| (20) 1993 Buick Classic. 1995 Phoenix Open, Buick Classic. 1997 Memorial Tournament, Buick Open. 1998 PGA Championship, Sprint International. 1999 Honda Classic. 2000 Masters Tournament. 2002 Shell Houston Open, THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. 2003 Phoenix Open, EDS Byron Nelson Championship, John Deere Classic, FUNAI Classic at the WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort. 2004 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Shell Houston Open, HP Classic of New Orleans, Buick Open, PGA Championship. 2004 PGA Championship |
| International Victories |
| (22): 1984 Malaysian PGA Championship [Asia]. 1988 Nigerian Open [Afr], Swedish PGA. 1989 Volvo Open di Firenze [Eur], Ivory Coast Open [Afr], Nigerian Open [Afr], Zimbabwe Open [SAf]. 1990 El Bosque Open [Eur]. 1991 King Hassan Trophy [Morocco]. 1992 Turespana Masters Open de Andalucia [Eur], Malaysian Open [Asia], Volvo German Open [Eur]. 1993 Bells Cup [SAf]. 1994 Scandinavian Masters [Eur], Trophee Lancome [Eur]. 1995 Passport Open [Asia], 1997 South African Open [SAf], Toyota World Match Play Championship [Eur], 2000 Johnnie Walker Taiwan Open. 2001 Carlsberg Malaysian Open, Caltex Singapore Masters. 2003 TELLUS Canadian Skins Game. |
| Current Year PGA TOUR Money and Positions |
| $6,938,566 (1) |
| Current Year Best PGA TOUR Finishes |
| 1--AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Shell Houston Open, HP Classic of New Orleans, Buick Open, 2--Mercedes Championships, T3--FBR Open, T4--Buick Classic, John Deere Classic, T6--Masters Tournament, T10--Sony Open in Hawaii, Wachovia Championship, P1--PGA Championship, |
| Current Year PGA TOUR Best Round |
| 63 at Round 3, FBR Open, 63 at Round 4, HP Classic of New Orleans, 63 at Round 1, Buick Classic, 63 at Round 1, Buick Open |
| Current Year PGA TOUR Highlights |
| Picked up a victory for the third consecutive year and sixth out of the last seven with his win at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Shared third-round lead with Arron Oberholser before final-round 69 (one of just five rounds in the 60s Sunday) gave him a three-stroke victory over Jeff Maggert. Extended his consecutive top-10 streak to 12 straight, two behind Jack Nicklaus for the modern-day record and longest on TOUR since Nicklaus had 12 straight in 1975. Win jumped him to the top of the money list for the first time in 2004...Finished second, one stroke behind Stuart Appleby, at the season-opening Mercedes Championships for ninth consecutive top-10 dating back to the 2003 WGC-NEC Invitational. Posted a 9-under-par 64 in the second round, including seven consecutive birdies on Nos. 12-18, to take the 36-hole lead by one stroke over Appleby...The next week, finished T10 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, aided by four rounds in the 60s...Posted his 11th consecutive top-10 on the PGA TOUR, dating back to the 2003 WGC-NEC Invitational, with a T3 at the FBR Open...Streak ended at 12 consecutive top-10s after missing the cut at the Buick Invitational, his first missed cut since the 2003 PLAYERS Championship. His streak of 25 straight cuts was the third-longest current streak behind Tiger Woods (115) and Ernie Els (30)...Past champion recovered from opening rounds of 75-73 to finish T6 at the Masters Tournament. Rounds of 69-69 on the weekend and a 286 total were seven strokes shy of champion Phil Mickelson. Top-10 was fourth in 11 appearances at Augusta National, including three straight...With rounds of 74-66-69-68-277, won the Shell Houston Open for the second time in three years for 17th career TOUR title. Opening 74 was highest first-round score for winnner on TOUR since Mark O'Meara posted identical 74 in opening round en route to victory at the Masters Tournament. Has seven top-10s in nine starts at Shell event, having never missed a cut. Event had a Monday finish after rain postponed the completion of the third round and all of the final round. Hit 13 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in the final round, and did not post a bogey over the final 36 holes. Entered final round tied with John Huston at 7-under-par, one stroke ahead of Joe Ogilvie and Jose Coceres. Birdied two of the first three holes in the final round and added two more birdies on the back nine to win by two over Scott Hoch. Has now won 9 of 16 times when holding at least a share of the 54-hole lead, including six straight...First player since Kenny Perry to win PGA TOUR events in back-to-back weeks, coming from four strokes back in the final round to capture the HP Classic of New Orleans for 18th career TOUR victory. After opening 70-65-68, closed with a 9-under-par 63 (7-under-par 29 on back nine) that included a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 72nd hole to clip 54-hole leader Joe Ogilvie and Phil Mickelson by one stroke at 22-under-par. Second time with back-to-back TOUR victories (1998 PGA Championship and Sprint International) and fourth Monday finish victory (1997 Memorial Tournament, 2003 John Deere Classic, 2004 Shell Houston Open). Surpassed $30-million in career earnings and re-took 2004 PGA TOUR Official Money List with $4,267,866...Finished T10 at the Wachovia Championship for his fourth consectutive top-10 and eighth top-10 in 12 starts this season...Opened with an 8-under 63 at the Buick Classic to take the first-round lead and then finished T4. It marked the 14th time that he had been a leader/co-leader through 18 holes...In defense of John Deere Classic, posted four rounds in the 60s to finish T4, two shots out of Mark Hensby-John E. Morgan playoff...Won fourth event of season at Buick Open, holding off John Daly by one shot and Tiger Woods by two. Grabbed the lead after 18 holes after opening with a 9-under-par 63, using a traditional putter for the first time in several years. Also held a share of the 36-hole lead and entered final round with a two-stroke lead over Daly. On Sunday, Daly grabbed the early advantage by posting three birdies and an eagle in the first four holes. Singh responded with six birdies and a bogey en route to becoming just the third multiple winner of the Buick Open. Seventh win since turning 40, eclipsing Greg Norman, Loren Roberts and Hal Sutton for the lead among active players. |
| Best PGA TOUR Finishes |
| 1--1993 Buick Classic. 1995 Phoenix Open, Buick Classic. 1997 Memorial Tournament, Buick Open. 1998 PGA Championship, Sprint International. 1999 Honda Classic. 2000 Masters Tournament. 2002 Shell Houston Open, THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. 2003 Phoenix Open, EDS Byron Nelson Championship, John Deere Classic, FUNAI Classic at the WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort. 2004 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Shell Houston Open, HP Classic of New Orleans, Buick Open, PGA Championship. |
| Best Champions Tour Finishes |
| Best 2003 PGA TOUR Finishes |
| 1--Phoenix Open, EDS Byron Nelson Championship, John Deere Classic, FUNAI Classic at the WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort, 2--Chrysler Championship, T2--Wachovia Championship, British Open Championship, The INTERNATIONAL, WGC-American Express Championship, 4--Deutsche Bank Championship, T4--Mercedes Championships, the Memorial Tournament, T5--THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola, T6--Masters Tournament, WGC-NEC Invitational, Bell Canadian Open, T8--Buick Open, T9--Shell Houston Open |
| Best 2003 Champions Tour Finishes |
| 2003 Season PGA TOUR |
| Tournaments Entered--27; in money--26; Top 10 finishes--18 |
| 2003 Season Highlights |
| A career season that saw personal records shattered in virtually every category. A four-time winner on the PGA TOUR, clinched first career PGA TOUR money title at the season-ending TOUR Championship, where a T5 finish worth $228,000 brought total official money in 27 events to $7,573,907, topping Tiger Woods by $900,494. The season total was also second all-time to Woods' $9,188,321 in 2000. A total of 18 top-10s were the most on TOUR since Tim Kite posted 21 top-10s in 26 starts in 1981...Picked up career victory No. 12 at the Phoenix Open a tournament he also won in 1995. Fired final-round, 8-under 63 to come from two strokes back of Harrison Frazar after 54 holes to win by three strokes over John Huston. Bested his TOUR career low for total score (261) and in relation to par (23-under) with the victory...Did not play between AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the Bay Hill Hill Invitational due to a rib injury...Recorded third top-10 at the Masters in last four years with a T6 finish...Finished T2, fifth top-10 of 2003, at the Wachovia Championship. In contention until double bogey on par-3 17th hole on Sunday when he hit tee shot over the green into water hazard...Held one-stroke lead through 36 and 54 holes at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. Went on to win by two over Nick Price. Won for the first time in his 40s and recorded his fifth multiple-win season of his career. One of 11 players to win on the PGA TOUR over the age of 40. Named PGA TOUR Player of the Month for May...Along with Jim Furyk, set the U.S. Open record for best first 36 holes with a 7-under 133. His 7-under 63 during the second round tied Johnny Miller (1973), Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf (1980) for best 18-hole score in U.S. Open history. Finished event T20...Earned his 12th top-10 in a major with a T2 at the British Open...Third victory of the season came at the John Deere Classic, earning Player of the Month honors for September...Did not lead until final round but was within striking distance the entire tournament. Due to rainout of Saturday's third round, Singh played 23 holes on Sunday and the remaining 13 on Monday. Finished the day Sunday at 12-under in a tie for lead with J.L. Lewis. Pulled ahead on back nine Monday morning to win by four strokes. Victory moved him to No. 1 on the money list, a position he held for three weeks...Lost the No. 1 spot to Tiger Woods at the WGC-American Express Championship. Trailed Woods by two strokes through three rounds and could get no closer, finishing T2 with Stuart Appleby and Tim Herron...Defeated by Ernie Els in the semifinals of the HSBC World Match Play Championship on the European Tour...Won fourth TOUR event of season by posting four rounds in the 60s at the FUNAI Classic at the WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort. Held second-round lead and shared third-round lead with Stewart Cink, John Rollins and Scott Verplank. Paycheck moved him into the top spot on the money list for second time this season. Became third player (Tiger Woods-5, Davis Love III-4) in 2003 to win at least four times, the first time since 1973 (Jack Nicklaus, 7; Tom Weiskopf, 5; Bruce Crampton, 4) three players had won at least four times...Ended season with eight consecutive top-10s, tying Kenny Perry for the longest streak of the season...Played for the International squad at The Presidents Cup for the fifth time in career...Led the PGA TOUR in Birdie Average (4.41). |
| Career Highlights |
| Has won in Malaysia, France, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Spain, Germany, England, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Canada and U.S. 2002: Returned to the victory circle after one-year hiatus. Won multiple events for the first time since 1998 (Shell Houston Open and THE TOUR Championship). Third-place finish on money list with $3,756,563 was best since finishing second in 1998...At the Shell Houston Open, collected his first PGA TOUR victory since the 2000 Masters Tournament, a span of 50 starts. Set a new 72-hole scoring record at the TPC at The Woodlands with a 22-under-par total. Rounds of 67-65-66-68--266 earned a six-stroke victory over Darren Clarke...36-hole leader at the Masters after 70-65 start. Second round was the low round of the week at Augusta National. Tied for third entering final round, but quadruple-bogey nine on No. 15 dropped him from contention into seventh-place finish...Solo eighth at the PGA Championship...Third-round leader at THE TOUR Championship for third consecutive time at East Lake GC (1998 and 2000) and won for first time by two strokes over Charles Howell III. 2001: Despite failing to win for the first time in five years, put together a consistent season with a TOUR-best 14 top-10s and $3,440,829 in earnings, fourth on the money list...Finished second twice, at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, where he shot a final-round 69 but was passed by Davis Love III's 63, and at THE PLAYERS Championship, where he made triple-bogey-7 on the par-4 14th, eagle on the par-5 16th and birdie on the par-3 17th to complete a 68 and finish one stroke behind Tiger Woods...Given Lifetime Exemption on European Tour, following Ernie Els (1999) and Greg Norman (2000). 2000: Extended victory string to four straight seasons and captured his second major in 20-month period with victory in Masters Tournament. Won by three strokes over Els...Enjoyed T8 at U.S. Open despite third-round 80...Had LASIK surgery on May 31...Placed second at Grand Slam of Golf when Tiger Woods eagled 18th hole to tie him. Woods then eagled same hole in playoff...Finished season with eight top-10s.1999: Earned his eighth career TOUR victory in March at the Honda Classic. Stood nine strokes behind Eric Booker after 36 holes and five back through 54 holes but closed with 69 for two-stroke victory over Payne Stewart...Had streak of four consecutive tournaments where he finished no worse than fifth beginning with solo second to Tiger Woods in Memorial Tournament; Was also T3 at U.S. Open, T5 at Buick Classic and solo fourth at Motorola Western Open. From MCI Classic through Motorola Western Open, did not finish outside of top 20...Led the TOUR in eagles, averaging one every 104.8 holes and ended 1999 with 17. 1998: Proved to be true to his name with consecutive victories in summer at PGA Championship and Sprint International in August. In PGA at Sahalee opened with even-par 70, followed by a course-record-tying 66 that produced a one-stroke lead. Third-round 67 brought tie for lead with Steve Stricker, and his closing 68 good for two-stroke win over Stricker. Became 10th winner in past 11 years to make PGA Championship his first major championship victory...Began season with 48th consecutive cut made at Mercedes Championships and stretched streak to 53 in a row before shooting 76-80 to miss cut at Masters Tournament and finished tied with Tom Kite for fifth place on all-time list. Previous missed cut came at 1995 PGA Championship...A week after PGA victory, earned second win in two weeks and third top-10 in month of August with six-point win over Phil Mickelson and Willie Wood at Sprint International...Closed year at East Lake GC with playoff loss to Hal Sutton at THE TOUR Championship after opening week with course record 7-under-par 63. 1997: Won two TOUR events and earned more than $1 million for second time in career...Made 24 consecutive cuts in 1996 and 21 in row in 1997...Posted nine top-25 finishes and four top-10s...First victory came at the Memorial Tournament. Shot 70 in first round and stood four strokes out of lead. Followed with second-round 65 to pull to within three strokes of lead. Due to heavy rains, tournament was shortened to 54 holes. He fired final-round 67 to earn two-stroke victory over Jim Furyk and Greg Norman. Memorial was his first win without a playoff...Second victory came at Buick Open. Was his third win at Buick-sponsored event. Closing 66 matched low round of day and earned six-stroke victory over six players. 1996: Season featured June-July hot streak: T7 U.S. Open, T8 Motorola Western Open, T11 British Open and T5 PGA Championship. 1995: After being hampered by back and neck problems in 1994, came back to win twice at Phoenix Open and Buick Classic. 1993: PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year based on Buick Classic victory in playoff over Mark Wiebe...Second-round 63, at the time tying low round in major championship history, lifted him to two-stroke lead at PGA Championship. Finished 73-70 for T4 finish, two strokes out of Paul Azinger-Greg Norman playoff. |
| Personal |
| Fiji's only world-class golfer...Learned game from his father, an airplane technician who also taught golf...Admired Tom Weiskopf while growing up and used Weiskopf's swing as early model for his own...Noted for his rigorous practice routine...Once held a club professional position in Borneo...Of Indian ancestry, first name means "victory" in Sanskrit*. Served as Honorary Chairperson for 1999 National Golf Day, PGA of America's annual fundraiser for junior golf...Teamed with son Qass in Office Depot Father-Son in December. |
| PGA TOUR Playoff Record |
| 4-1 |
| National Teams |
| The Presidents Cup (5), 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003; World Cup, 2002. |
| * Almost all sites say "Vijay " means Victory in Hindi. Yes, but is more than that. "Vijay" comes originally from Sanskrit and is used in all Indian languages - 14 of them -, not just Hindi. Another known sports area where the word appears is in the name Indian Tennis ace Vijay Amritraj. Once again we say that "Vijay" means victory in all Indian Languages. |
