With golf's biggest prize in hand, Singh can finally relax

text size

A clearly appreciative Vijay Singh received the FedExCup from PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. (Halleran/Getty Images)

ATLANTA -- The 10-footer hit the edge of the cup and spun left, stubbornly refusing to fall. That's pretty much the way Vijay Singh's week had gone.

As he scribbled on his scorecard and walked toward the tunnel that runs under the bleachers on the left side of the 18th green, a deep voice rang out from a cluster of fans.

"How's it feel, Vijay?"

Singh stopped momentarily, looked into the stands and smiled broadly. He had just finished in a disappointing tie for 22nd at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola but in completing 72 holes at East Lake, Singh was $10 million richer after winning the FedExCup.

Vijay Singh looked on as engraver Tim Murphy carved his name on the FedExCup. (Levy/Getty Images)

Inside the Numbers

Final FedExCup Standings

Player Points 1. Vijay Singh 125,101 2. Camilo Villegas 124,550 3. Sergio Garcia 119,400 4. Anthony Kim 114,419 5. Jim Furyk 113,180 6. Mike Weir 113,118 7. Phil Mickelson 112,201 8. Justin Leonard 111,638 9. Ben Curtis 110,702 10. K.J. Choi 110,646

"I'm glad it's over," Singh would later say. "I made 72 holes and was reminded 1,000 times before I started this week, Make sure you finish 72 holes, sign your card, enough clubs, and gosh, everything else. ... I tried to make it very simple on my card today, no mistakes, and tried to make all 18 pars at this point.

"But I'm glad it's over, and I played well. I'm glad this Cup is over. I know it's mine now, so it's a good feeling."

Singh had all but assured himself of the title and its hefty bonus when he won the first two events of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, Those victories were his second and third in a five-tournament stretch that began with his win at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.

By the time he got to Atlanta, Singh knew the silver Tiffany trophy was destined for his beachside home in Ponte Vedra, Fla., as long as he finished the tournament and didn't get disqualified. Considering the fact that the 45-year-old won THE TOUR Championship in 2000 and had never finished lower than ninth at East Lake, though, many expected more -- including the man himself.

Turns out, Singh didn't break par in any round, although he had a chance Sunday until he hit his tee shot into the water to the left of the 17th fairway and made bogey. Concentration may have been elusive, but contending wasn't essential this week.

"You make a bogey, you get congratulated; you make a double, you get congratulated. It didn't really matter what I made," Singh said. "But it took away the focus of playing this tournament. I tried really hard. When I left to come over here to play, I said, I'm going to keep focus. But that's as far as I got."

Now he'll have the offseason to decide how to spend the largest bonus in sports that went into a retirement fund in 2007 but comes in cold, hard cash this year. When a reporter asked if Singh could float him a loan, the reply was a good-natured "Get in line." Well, then, what about upgrading that private jet of his?

"I'm okay," Singh said with a sly smile. "At the moment I'm just fine. I'll find a million ways of spending it. There's a lot out there to do. I'll probably give some to charity and all that."

Singh said as recently as a few years ago -- and certainly not while he was growing up in Fiji -- the prospect of winning a $10 million bonus wouldn't have been on anyone's radar screen.

"This is a new event, and you think about winning golf tournaments, big golf tournaments, never a FedExCup that's worth so much," Singh said. "I think everybody, every golfer, would feel the same way. I met Ernie (Els) in the restaurant last night. He said, 'I just want to see the check one time.' So there you go."

Singh plans to take it easy the rest of the year. He'll play the Del-Webb Father-Son Challange with his son Qass and the Chevron World Challenge presented by Bank of America, which is hosted annually by Tiger Woods. He won't play in the Fall Finish or any events overseas.

"My arm still hurts and my back still hurts," said Singh, who also will win the PGA TOUR money title for the third time. "So I'm going to take some time off and get myself in good shape physically and see if I can come out stronger."

Singh said earlier this week that he already had a plan for 2009. He wants to contend in the majors after missing the cut in two this year and failing to contend in the others. That early exit at THE PLAYERS Championship, played at Singh's home course, TPC Sawgrass, also sticks in his craw.

Don't bet for a minute that the three-time major champion won't savor 2008, though. Singh fine-tuned swing changes that he began making this time last year. He made amends with his putter and fought through a variety of nagging ailments. He made the shots when it counted and turned a so-so year into something special.

"I think it's up there amongst one of the best, because I was totally out of it for a long, long time," Singh said. "Before the Bridgestone event I was not even on the same page as a lot of the guys. It tells you if you finish strong, if you have a few wins, it propels you all the way up to the top.

"I think it's self-satisfying to know that I never gave up, kept at it, hurt, not hurt, pain, it didn't matter. I was out there practicing and believing in myself and doing it. ... At the end of the day I came out up front, and that shows that all the hard work has paid off. I'd rank this one of my best seasons, I think, considering what I went through."