News: Vijay Singh is his own man, always has been. Now, he's officially the world's number two-ranked player - behind Tiger Woods - and, as his win fourth US Tour win of the season at the Funai Classic at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida on Sunday emphasised, he's also playing the best golf of his life.
In replacing Ernie Els as the chief pursuer of Woods (the first time since January 12th this year that the South African has not been ranked number two), and so securing the highest world ranking of his 21-year professional career, Singh - who has also moved to the top of the US Tour money list - has let his golf do the talking.
Since claiming to be misquoted over remarks made about Annika Sorenstam prior to her playing in the Bay Hill Invitational earlier in the year - "I hope she misses the cut," he is alleged to have remarked - Singh has been reticent to talk to the media.
It hasn't affected his golf, however, and Singh plans to stretch his advantage over Woods in this week's Chrysler Championship, an event Woods is missing and the penultimate tournament on the US Tour before the season-ending Tour Championship.
So, why should Singh, at 40 years of age, be playing better than he ever has? "Maybe it's because I've hit a million balls and because I have been out there (on the range) the longest forever, and maybe because I am just dedicated and want it more."
Singh, a two-time major winner - the 1998 US PGA and the 2000 US Masters - increased his US Tour prizemoney to $6.8 million and moved $250,094 ahead of Woods in the Order of Merit.
"I'm in the best position to win the money title," said Singh, who could actually clinch it by winning in Florida this week. Otherwise, the title will be decided at the Tour Championship in Houston.
"If I don't win the money title, it's not going to kill me," claimed Singh. "Obviously, I would be disappointed if I didn't win, but I'm going to go out there next year and try again. It's not end of the world for me if I don't win the money title."
The money title is something Singh would like to achieve over Woods; the other thing would be to deprive Woods of the world number one ranking. Woods has been world number one since winning the 1999 US PGA Championship and has a sizeable lead over the chasing Fijian and Els.
But Singh insisted: "If I keep playing the way I am, I can catch him. I give myself another five years. It's going to be really hard to get Tiger from the number one spot; he's playing so well every week. I just have to match and play better than that, I feel like in the next few years."
Apart from the money title, the other thing up in the air in America is the destination of the Player of the Year award, which is decided by a vote of tour professionals. Although he failed to win a major, Singh's fourth win of the year has put him into contention - Woods, though, has five wins - but he believes that he must top the money list to have a chance. "If I don't win the money title, then I have no chance . . . that's the way I feel," said Singh.
Final round scores & totals in the Funai Classic, Walt Disney World Resort, LakeBuena Vista, Florida
(Par 72, USA unless stated)
265 Vijay Singh (Fij) 64 65 69 67
269 Scott Verplank 66 66 66 71, Tiger Woods 66 67 71 65, Stewart Cink 67 65 6671
270 John Rollins 66 65 67 72, Davis Love III 67 65 69 69
271 Michael Clark II 72 66 68 65, Bob Estes 67 63 72 69
272 Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 66 70 66 70, Bob Tway 67 65 71 69, Rocco Mediate 65 6769 71
273 Brent Schwarzrock 67 65 72 69, Fred Couples 68 66 68 71, Jim Furyk 70 6771 65, David Peoples 65 66 69 73, Tom Carter 67 67 71 68
274 John Senden 70 67 69 68, Briny Baird 72 62 70 70
275 Ben Crane 66 71 71 67, Charles Howell III 68 68 70 69, Retief Goosen (Rsa)70 64 68 73, Tommy Armour III 69 67 71 68, Dan Forsman 65 69 73 68, Tom PerniceJr 71 67 67 70
276 Tim Clark (Rsa) 69 65 74 68, Woody Austin 73 63 72 68, Tom Lehman 68 70 6870, Spike McRoy 68 70 70 68
277 Aaron Barber 69 67 70 71, Brenden Pappas 63 72 72 70, Peter Lonard 69 6970 69, Jeff Sluman 67 70 72 68, Duffy Waldorf 68 67 70 72, Brad Bryant 70 66 7269, Jay Don Blake 69 66 71 71, Phil Mickelson 71 67 72 67, Jesper Parnevik (Swe)70 69 67 71
278 Richard S. Johnson 68 71 69 70, David Gossett 69 70 72 67, Deane Pappas(Rsa) 66 73 66 73, Kirk Triplett 67 69 71 71, Bart Bryant 68 68 72 70, StephenAmes (Tri) 72 64 71 71, Robert Gamez 68 71 68 71
279 Craig Barlow 69 70 71 69, Hidemichi Tanaka (Jpn) 69 66 68 76, Joe Durant67 68 72 72, John Huston 64 71 70 74, Brett Quigley 69 69 72 69
280 Mathew Goggin 71 67 71 71, Notah Begay III 69 69 70 72, Gene Sauers 70 6673 71, Kevin Sutherland 68 70 70 72, Shaun Micheel 69 70 72 69, Corey Pavin 6669 72 73, Anthony Painter 73 65 75 67
281 Heath Slocum 69 70 73 69, Pat Perez 64 71 74 72, Cliff Kresge 69 69 73 70,Harrison Frazar 67 70 73 71, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 68 71 73 69, Steve Flesch 7068 72 71
282 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 69 70 72 71, Hank Kuehne 69 70 74 69, Jason Gore 7166 77 68, Esteban Toledo (Mex) 72 66 69 75, Glen Day 69 69 74 70, Paul Goydos 6769 72 74, Nick Price (Zim) 70 68 67 77, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 70 67 70 75
284 Skip Kendall 69 70 75 70, Carl Paulson 72 67 73 72, Dicky Pride 66 71 7374
285 Danny Ellis 68 69 73 75, Paul Azinger 66 69 77 73
286 Neal Lancaster 68 69 75 74, Steve Lowery 70 67 75 74
288 Chris M Anderson 68 70 77 73, Vance Veazey 71 68 75 74
