Singh doesn't mind switch in FedExCup Playoffs format

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Vijay Singh hopes to defend his FedExCup title when the Playoffs start in late August at The Barclays at Liberty National.

Jul. 21, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM Staff

A year ago, Vijay Singh went into the final event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup having already wrapped up the title. All he had to do was stay awake for 72 holes and not get disqualifed in order to have the $10 million first prize deposited into his bank account.

"It was a very strange week," he said.

Singh on Watson's week

Vijay Singh is the poster boy for golfers who thrive past middle age, having won a record 21 events since turning 40. If anybody has an appreciation for what Tom Watson accomplished at the age of 59 last week at the British Open, it's Singh.

"Tom Watson, what a great story that is," Singh said. "That gave second life to everybody that is even in their 50s. It's almost unheard of. People can actually go out and have one or two days of good scoring in a major, but leading the golf tournament, even after 72 holes, being tied and going into a playoff is totally unheard of. That kind of gives us a second wind.

"To me, I was thinking, you know, maybe 50, 51, 52, I still have enough energy and strength to compete, but now after what Tom's done, it kind of gives you a second life more or less.

"I'm working out really hard and I feel really strong right now, even after the surgery, I worked out really strong. I can still compete with the young kids now. I don't know how long that's going to last. You know, you can be strong enough, but your golf game still has to be there.

"The body takes a lot of toll. They say the older you get, the harder you have to work at it and that's been my motto. I will see. After I turn 50, see how much more, if I can compete, I will keep going. If I cannot, then obviously I'll have to make a decision then.

"But right now, I've played with all of the young and long hitters. I played with Bubba Watson in the Open the first two days, and you all know how far he hits it. I wasn't that far behind him. So that kind of gave me a lot of confidence."

This year, neither Singh nor any other player will be in such a strange -- some might say, comforting -- position. Changes to the Playoffs format have eliminated the possibility that someone will enter THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola in two months with the title already in hand.

Singh doesn't mind the change in the least.

"I think it's good for the tournament," he said during media day for The Barclays, the first of the four Playoff events. "I think it's good for the FedExCup that everybody entering the last day, the last tournament, has a chance of winning. I think it's going to give more drama and excitement to the tournament.

"I'm lucky they didn't do it last year."

Unlike the first two years of the Playoffs when the points were reset prior to The Barclays, this year the points will not be reset until THE TOUR Championship, meaning regular-season points will be carried over.

That new reset date will ensure that each of the 30 players at East Lake will have a mathematical chance of winning the FedExCup. In addition, a win at THE TOUR Championship by any of the top five seeds automatically guarantees them the FedExCup title, while seeds 6-10 also will have a great chance to claim the FedExCup title by winning the last event.

And with the Playoffs just over a month away, Singh said the awareness among the pros has picked up considerably.

"It's so far away when we start the year ... the players don't really talk about it," he said. "They know it's there. They see it on the board every week.

"But it's going to start now. It's coming toward the end and they start juggling who is up there, who is going to qualify and who is not going to qualify."

And no matter, it's hard to ignore the 800-pound elephant in the room -- in this case, the $10 million prize.

"That's the excitement that everybody talks about," Singh said. "The press talks about it, the fans talk about it, all the players talk about it. That's the excitement that attracts everybody.

"And it's a different kind of format. Now you have a finish, a finale of $10 million and everybody is gearing up to that. So it's a great concept, and you know, I hope that the concept will last for a long, long time to come."

Along with the difference in playoff format comes a different venue for The Barclays -- a development that could impact Singh's defense of his crown.

A year ago, Singh won The Barclays at a classic course, Ridgewood, when he beat Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland in a playoff. But this year, the tournament will be held at Liberty National, a new links-style course within shouting distance of the Statue of Liberty.

Singh has heard others talk about Liberty National, but he hasn't played it himself.

"All I've heard was it's a great golf course, unbelievable venue, the views are incredible, and the golf course itself is very tough," Singh said. "It's going to be kind of windy there and it's supposed to be really, really tough. I think they had the Commissioner's Cup there and a lot of guys that played there said that it's an incredible golf course."