Golf: Singh Deserves His Number One Ranking
When Vijay Singh finally displaced Tiger Woods as world number one, it was just reward for an outstanding season.
When Vijay Singh became the world No1 on Monday, displacing Tiger Woods after a record 264 weeks, it was just reward for an outstanding season.
His victory in the Deutsche Bank tournament in Boston was his sixth in a year that includes a major, the US PGA Championship. He is now a certainty for another honour that has previously been hogged by Woods, the US Tour's Player of the Year.
The Fijian becomes the 12th No1 in the 962 weeks that the rankings have been in existence, the others being Bernhard Langer, Severiano Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Fred Couples, Nick Price, Tom Lehman, Ernie Els, David Duval, Greg Norman and Woods.
The world top 10 now reads: Singh, Woods, Els, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Retief Goosen, Mike Weir, Padraig Harrington and Adam Scott. Singh had only to finish ahead of Woods at the TPC course to head him in the rankings and at one point in the final round Woods was level with him. But Singh eventually won by three, with Scott sharing second place with Woods.
"It wasn't about the world ranking; it wasn't about going out there and trying to beat Tiger, the world No1, it was about trying to win the golf tournament," said Singh.
"Earlier in the season I felt close to Tiger and now I feel I'm the best in the world. But I feel that all the time. Tiger's a very intimidating player. He hits shots most people can't hit and you think, wow, that's the way all of us should play. In fact, if you're playing against him and he's playing great and you're not playing well you're going to look an idiot. Playing with him is intense and he's going to let you know that. So you just have to go out there and play your own game.
"You know, the way I played on Sunday and Saturday - I pretty much can't play better than that and that's how I want to play all the time."
Asked what he would look back on, the major, the No1 ranking or the six victories, Singh said: "You've got to look at the whole thing and it's been a great season. It's going to be a hard one to follow, that's for sure."
His victory in the Deutsche Bank tournament in Boston was his sixth in a year that includes a major, the US PGA Championship. He is now a certainty for another honour that has previously been hogged by Woods, the US Tour's Player of the Year.
The Fijian becomes the 12th No1 in the 962 weeks that the rankings have been in existence, the others being Bernhard Langer, Severiano Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Fred Couples, Nick Price, Tom Lehman, Ernie Els, David Duval, Greg Norman and Woods.
The world top 10 now reads: Singh, Woods, Els, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Retief Goosen, Mike Weir, Padraig Harrington and Adam Scott. Singh had only to finish ahead of Woods at the TPC course to head him in the rankings and at one point in the final round Woods was level with him. But Singh eventually won by three, with Scott sharing second place with Woods.
"It wasn't about the world ranking; it wasn't about going out there and trying to beat Tiger, the world No1, it was about trying to win the golf tournament," said Singh.
"Earlier in the season I felt close to Tiger and now I feel I'm the best in the world. But I feel that all the time. Tiger's a very intimidating player. He hits shots most people can't hit and you think, wow, that's the way all of us should play. In fact, if you're playing against him and he's playing great and you're not playing well you're going to look an idiot. Playing with him is intense and he's going to let you know that. So you just have to go out there and play your own game.
"You know, the way I played on Sunday and Saturday - I pretty much can't play better than that and that's how I want to play all the time."
Asked what he would look back on, the major, the No1 ranking or the six victories, Singh said: "You've got to look at the whole thing and it's been a great season. It's going to be a hard one to follow, that's for sure."
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