Vijay Singh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vijay SinghCF विजय सिंह (Fiji Hindi) |
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Singh in 2007
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Vijay Singh |
| Nickname | The Big Fijian |
| Born | 22 February 1963 Lautoka, Viti Levu, British Fiji (present-day Fiji) |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in |
| Weight | 208 lb (94 kg; 14.9 st) |
| Nationality |  Fiji |
| Residence | Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Ardena Seth
(m. 1985) |
| Children | 1 |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1982 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour PGA Tour Champions European Senior Tour |
| Former tour(s) | European Tour Asian Tour |
| Professional wins | 66 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 34 |
| European Tour | 13 |
| Asian Tour | 5 |
| Sunshine Tour | 2 |
| Champions Tour | 5 |
| Other | 14 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 3) |
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| The Masters Tournament | Won: 2000 |
| U.S. Open | T3: 1999 |
| The Open Championship | T2: 2003 |
| PGA Championship | Won: 1998, 2004 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 2005/2006 |
| PGA Tour Rookie of the Year |
1993 |
| PGA Tour money list winner |
2003, 2004, 2008 |
| PGA Tour Player of the Year |
2004 |
| PGA Player of the Year | 2004 |
| Byron Nelson Award | 2004 |
| Vardon Trophy | 2004 |
| European Tour Golfer of the Year |
2004 |
| PGA Tour FedEx Cup winner |
2008 |
Vijay Singh (born 22 February 1963) is a professional golfer from Fiji. He became a professional golfer in 1982. Early in his career, he played on the Asia Golf Circuit.
Singh later found great success in Europe and Africa. He won many tournaments on the European Tour and the Safari Circuit. In 1993, he joined the PGA Tour and won the Buick Classic. This earned him the Rookie of the Year award.
He won his first major championship, the PGA Championship, in 1998. Two years later, he won the Masters Tournament. In 2004, Singh had an amazing year, winning nine times. He won the PGA Championship again and became the number one golfer in the world, passing Tiger Woods.
Contents
Early Life and Golf Beginnings
Vijay Singh grew up in Fiji. His father, Mohan Singh, was an airplane technician and also taught golf. Vijay played many sports as a child, including snooker, cricket, football, and rugby.
He once shared a fun story about his childhood. He said that his family couldn't afford golf balls. So, he and his friends used coconuts instead! He looked up to golfer Tom Weiskopf and learned from his swing.
Professional Golf Career
Starting in Asia
Vijay Singh became a professional golfer in 1982. In 1984, he won the Malaysian PGA Championship. However, he faced a difficult time in 1985. He was banned from the Asia Golf Circuit due to issues with his scorecard. Singh said he did not intentionally cheat. He felt he was treated unfairly because of who the other person involved was.
After this, he worked at golf clubs in Malaysia. This was a tough period, but he kept practicing and gaining experience.
Success in Europe
Singh saved money to restart his career. In 1988, he found a sponsor and went to Africa. He won his first event there, the 1988 Nigerian Open. Later that year, he joined the European Tour.
In 1989, Singh won his first European Tour title in Italy. He finished 24th on the European Tour's money list. He won four tournaments that year. He continued to win on the European Tour in 1990 and twice in 1992. He also won several events in Asia and Africa during this time.
Joining the PGA Tour
Singh became a member of the PGA Tour in 1993. He won his first tournament, the Buick Classic, in a playoff. This win helped him become the 1993 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. After some back and neck problems in 1994, he won the Buick Classic again in 1995. He also won the Phoenix Open that year. In 1997, he won the Memorial Tournament and the Buick Open.
In 1998, Singh won his first major championship, the PGA Championship. He played very well over four days to win. Two years later, in 2000, he won the Masters Tournament by three strokes.
He didn't win on the PGA Tour in 2001, but he had 14 top-10 finishes. In 2002, he won the Shell Houston Open and the Tour Championship.
The year 2003 was very successful for Singh. He won four tournaments and had 18 top-10 finishes. He was the PGA Tour's top money winner that year. His wins included the Phoenix Open and the John Deere Classic.
In 2004, Singh started strong by winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. This was his 16th PGA Tour win. He won the final major of 2004, the PGA Championship, for his third major title. He won in a three-hole playoff.
On 6 September 2004, Singh won the Deutsche Bank Championship. This win made him the number one golfer in the world, ending Tiger Woods' long time at the top. Singh finished 2004 with nine wins and a record amount of earnings. He was named the PGA Tour's Player of the Year.
In 2005, Singh briefly lost and then regained his number one ranking. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in April 2005. He was the youngest living person to be elected at that time. He was officially inducted in October 2006.
Singh won the Mercedes-Benz Championship in 2007. This was the first FedEx Cup event ever. He also won the Arnold Palmer Invitational. In 2008, Singh had a great comeback year. He won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, his first World Golf Championship. He then won two FedEx Cup playoff events, The Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Championship. These wins helped him secure the 2008 FedEx Cup title.
Vijay Singh has won 22 times on the PGA Tour after turning 40. This is a record for golfers over 40. His 34 career wins are the most on the PGA Tour by a non-American player. He has been ranked in the top 10 golfers in the world for over 540 weeks.
In 2009, Singh had knee surgery and missed some time. His performance was not as strong in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, he showed good form early in the season. However, he missed his tee-time for the U.S. Open qualifying. This ended his long streak of playing in major tournaments.
In 2013, Singh faced a situation regarding a substance he used. He said he didn't know it was banned. The PGA Tour later confirmed that they did not believe he intended to gain an unfair advantage. The issue was resolved in 2018.
Playing on the Senior Tour
Singh started playing on the PGA Tour Champions (for golfers over 50) in 2013. He still played some PGA Tour events.
In 2017, Singh won his first senior event, the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf. In 2018, he won the Toshiba Classic. He also won a major tournament on the senior tour, the Constellation Senior Players Championship. At the end of 2018, he won the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. In 2023, he won The Ally Challenge.
Personal Life
Vijay Singh is an Indo-Fijian and practices Hinduism. He was born in Lautoka, Fiji, and grew up in Nadi. He lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, in the U.S.
He is known for how carefully he prepares for tournaments. He often arrives hours early and stays late to practice his golf game. Vijay has a brother named Krishna, who is also a professional golfer.
Media and Public Image
In 2003, there was some discussion when Annika Sörenstam, a famous female golfer, played in a PGA Tour event. Singh was misquoted in the media. He later clarified that he believed all players, male or female, should qualify for the tour in the same way.
After Singh won the Masters, his friend Ernie Els defended him in the media. Els said that Singh is a "wonderful guy" and a "great competitor."
In 2005, Singh became a goodwill ambassador for Fiji. He said he wanted to represent his country without expecting anything in return.
Awards and Honors
- In 1993, Singh was named PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year.
- In 2006, Singh was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame.
- In 2008, Singh won the FedEx Cup.
Images for kids
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Singh at the 2010 PGA Championship
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Singh at a press conference in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Vijay Singh para niños
