Vijay Singh overtakes Tiger Woods as #1 golfer in the world

[tcfrogs]

For the first time in 264 weeks, Tiger Woods will not be ranked as the #1 golfer in the world. Vijay Singh's victory over Woods & Adam Scott at the Deutsche Bank Championship today earned him the honor.

Way to go, Vijay!!!!

[Braden]

1. good work from Tiger trying to defend

something tells me '05 will be one of tigers best.

his swing today looked like that of the old circa 2000 Tiger. fluid, strong and very confident.

Kudos to Adam Scott for making things interesting.

[Zomby Woof]

2. Vijay is an even bigger asswipe than Tiger

I haven't forgotten his hateful comments about Annika... it went beyond just disagreeing with her participation last year, and into hateful sexist shit.

Always hated the fucker anyway.

[tcfrogs]

3. Hmmm, that's a tough one

Vijay had a valid (albeit, perhaps sexist) point about Annika playing at Colonial. I don't want to start a flame war about this, as I'm sure it was well discussed in May of 2003.

I think Annika is a tremendous, fantastic golfer, who I actually think is very similar to Vijay in a lot of ways. Both rather reserved, hard workers who don't seek the spotlight.

[Zomby Woof]

4. I will avoid flames too

Like I said, although I loved that she participated (and it was within the PGA rules), there MUST be some valid arguments that can be made against her playing in it WITHOUT being a NASTY FUCK like he was. :-)

Plus, I want to reiterate that he has ALWAYS been an asshole, but that example was the first to come to mind. But there are many reasons he is that have nothing to do with the Annika episode.

I know I am personalizing my argument against him - aside from the quality of his game, which I am not disputing. I did so because I would rather Tiger or almost anyone else be ranked ahead. I don't like it when assholes of Singh's caliber succeed. Just my own asshole opinion. ;-)

[tcfrogs]

5. Understood

Agree to disagree. I'm more excited that someone (anyone) took Tiger's #1 spot. And, Vijay did earn it on the course.

[LynneSin]

7. Valid point my ass

he went beyond saying she couldn't complete, he also said he would drop out of the competition if he was paired with her.

:mad:

Flame me all you want but I'd rather french kiss George W. Bush himself then show one single iota of support of this asshole who couldn't just keep his mouth shut. You didn't want to compete with Anika? Fine, deal with it, everyone else at that competition kept it all positive except you.

Mr. Singh, karma is a bitch and paybacks are hell.

[tcfrogs]

8. Lynne, please listen to this point

If Annika had qualified for the spot in the Colonial, I have no problem with that. In fact, that would be FANTASTIC! I'd love to see women & men be able to compete on the same level. She was given a sponsor's exemption (Bank of America) to play. THAT was Vijay's original point. She didn't do anything other than be a WONDERFUL FANTASTIC INCREDIBLE player on the the women's tour to qualify for that exemption.

Yes, Vijay was kind of an ass for saying what he said, but I think I summed up his rationale above.

Suzy Whaley actually qualified for the GHO in Hartford last year, a men's event. That would be my preferred qualifying method for ANYONE who wants to play in a PGA Tour event.

Am I making any sense?

[LynneSin]

10. Nope - because you're trying to say what Vijay said was ok

especially with the comment that he would drop out if he was paired with Anika

He's an asshole and you can pretty it up all you want but he's still an asshole. Sponser Exemptions happen all the time, which is part of the game.

I'd rather be infected with rabids than to support the biggest asshole in golf. Tiger Woods, although a bit tired out from the overexposure of him, puts Vijay to shame when it comes to class

[tcfrogs]

18. OK, I'll give you this

He was an ass for saying he'd withdraw if he was paired with her. However, it would never happen, and he knew it, because sponsors exemptions get paired with nobodies, like Annika was.

[LynneSin]

29. then if he knew it he should have never said it

Hopefully he'll be bumped off as #1 as quickly as he got there. So many better role models out there on the PGA

[Zomby Woof]

9. that about sums it up

:thumbsup:

[LynneSin]

11. thank you Zomby

:pals:

[Zomby Woof]

12. anytime!

Although the French-kissing George Bush thing creeped me out! :o ;-)

[LynneSin]

14. Well, it shows just how disgusted I am with Vijay Singh

And you know I'm not about to french kiss a chimp!

You missed it - earlier today I said I would rather date a rabid manged skunk than Rush Limbaugh

[Zomby Woof]

16. all the Herradura in the world

Wouldn't let you do that. :-)

[LynneSin]

6. What Vijay the sexist asshole

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/golfonline/news/2003/05/12/singh_sorenstam_ap/

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Vijay Singh says Annika Sorenstam has no business playing in the Colonial next week and "I hope she misses the cut." On the odd chance he gets paired with her, he'll withdraw.

"Why? Because she doesn't belong out here," Singh said after his runner-up finish in the Wachovia Championship. "If I'm drawn with her, which I won't be, I won't play."

Personally I hope the asshole get his ass kicked and immediately loses his ranking. Tiger Woods may be tired news but at least he's not a sexist asshole.

[athena]

13. I agree.

Hateful sexist asshole is what he is.

[IronLionZion]

15. Indians RULE!!!

But I love Tiger too. Those two are fine athletes for their attitudes as well as their ability.

[Zomby Woof]

17. Vijay is Fijian

But I could care less about anyone's ethnicity/nationality. Assholes are assholes.

[Awsi Dooger]

19. Unloved in Fiji and even more of an asshole early in his career

http://services.golfweb.com/si/1996/0803/vijay.html

A lengthy but very interesting read from Sports Illustrated, circa 1996. It discusses a cheating charge against Singh, plus numerous debts he incurred while playing on the Australian tour, and did not pay back until well after he was an established star.

A direct quote from the prime minister of Fiji in '96: "I know Vijay personally; that's why I can't say more nice things about him."

[Zomby Woof]

21. ah, sweet back-up!

Thanks for that! The PM's quote is spot-on!

[tcfrogs]

23. I was waiting for this one

I'm not the official Vijay defender, although I play one on DU.

Details are sketchy, buy Vijay was accused of cheating & I believe disqualified from a tournament. The accusations came from either a prince/some royalty/president's son of some South Pacific country whom Vijay beat in the tournament.

From everything I've read - including the link above, which I've seen before - I don't know what to believe. I lean to Vijay, because of the arrogance of the accuser.

[IronLionZion]

33. He's Fijian the way we are American

as in we all came from somewhere else. And Vijay obviously came from India the way whites came from Europe and blacks came from Africa, etc.

Brown power!

[PVnRT]

20. Vijay = Prick

Kind of like 90% of all pro golfers, oddly enough.

[Zomby Woof]

22. they should be Cossacks!

[tcfrogs]

24. OK - this was only meant as a congratulatory thread for Vijay

Not a forum for venting about Vijay being an asshole. Sorry to stir up trouble!

[Awsi Dooger]

25. I've never been a big fan of Vijay

But undeniably he's the player of the year and remarkable to overtake Tiger as #1 and play the best golf of your life while in your 40s. Three majors stacks up very well, one more than Norman, for instance.

I also appreciated Vijay's bold decision to revert to conventional putting about a month ago, on the brink of the PGA. It was a dramatic change after several years crosshanded or with long and belly putters, and Vijay has looked terrific on the greens ever since.

It also doesn't hurt to bomb it straight and long.

[tcfrogs]

26. Work ethic

that's what I admire him for.

[medeak]

27. bumped into VJ in the dark

long story...but you are correct. He has the most beautiful swing I've ever seen.....and think belly putters should be illegal

Damn....it broke my heart to read all the denegrating things about him. Nearly passed out from literally running into him at 2am in bowels of hotel...in the dark...whew.

[LynneSin]

30. that's ok, we love you anyways

Just promise to post who replaces Vijay as soon as it happens. I'm sure we'll all be ready to celebrate that one!

[tcfrogs]

31. Thanks!!!!

I never meant to make this an issue, as I said! Tiger will probably take it back over soon, or Phil Mickelson, or Ernie Els.

Despite most DU'ers hatred of golf, I WILL post when the ranking changes hands again.

[medeak]

32. hey... I love golf!

and if you want to talk about Ernie Els...I'd take VJ any day over him....talk about sexist creep. He was in my back yard at Scottsdale (2nd home) during Phoenix Open and it wasn't flattering.

Have to root for Michelson tho...

[devilgrrl]

28. I like that the two top golfers in the world are "people of color"

:-)

Even if Vijay Singh is a jackass.