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Thumbs down to Vijay Singh as he snubs Sam Snead's record

Monday January 8, 2007 | 15:47:38 218 words, 6629 views  

An unimpressed Vijay Singh appeared nonchalant after passing Sam Snead’s record of wins accrued after hitting the big 4-0.

“To pass (Snead’s) record after 40 really doesn’t mean much,” Singh bellowed while focusing on his own win after the Mercedes-Benz Championship. “There’s no trophies for doing it. It’s not even a record, it’s just numbers.”

What type of numbers, in Vijay’s opinion, constitute a “record"?

Singh appeared more interested in tooting his own horn than in paying homage to one of golf’s true legends.

“Coming from Fiji, it’s not easy to do what I’ve done in my career. It’s a miracle winning one golf tournament.”

Even Fred Funk got caught in the crossfire during Vijay’s ranting.

“Fred Funk won a tournament when he was 48, and I’m a lot bigger and stronger than Fred, so if he can win at 48, what makes you think I’m not going to win at 50″, added a pompous Singh who may be feeling Father Time breathing down his neck.

Vijay Singh’s next attempt to break a record (that doesn’t mean all that much) might be one set by rival Tiger Woods. Singh is right behind the number-one golfer on the PGA Tour in career earnings with this week’s million-dollar victory.

They won’t just be “numbers” if you can pull off that little miracle, will they Vijay?

Permalink 24 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Mike [Visitor]
VJ's right. Big deal. At least he is honest. Most of them would be standing up there going Yes, this is quite a feat beating old Sammy's record, when they could care less.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-08 @ 16:38
Comment from: Baby Blue Eyes [Visitor]
VJ is right...Because there are many manufactured records out there...

For starter, after his win, the records he set or broke:

- First golfer to win a PGA event in 2007
- First Fijian golfer to win a PGA event in 2007
- First Florida resident to win a PGA event in 2007
- First golfer to win at 43 years old and X months and Y days
- Most win in 2007
- First over 6 feet tall golfer to win PGA event in 2007
- First PGA winner after the passing of Gerald Ford
- Etc....

As you can see, the 'records' can go on and on....
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-08 @ 17:01
Comment from: Jim C [Visitor]
I am impressed by the Vijay's record for most wins over 40, but it is best for Vijay if he is not impressed by an over 40 record since he has to compete against players who are much younger.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-08 @ 18:24
Comment from: Bhaktawar [Visitor]
Please see the interview on golf channel. He was joking about Fred Funk, everybody was laughing. It is unfortunate how you misinterpret things
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-08 @ 19:01
Comment from: Anonymous [Visitor]
Good grief, that was nasty. You really hate the guy, don't you?

It's possible to twist practically anything into something negative,
but you really go out of your way here. Vijay was funny, honest,
and extremely normal. He's not some silly, plastic, don't-offend-
anyone-don't-say-anything type like Michael Jordan or Tiger
Woods. He doesn't have the ridiculous in-front-of-camera-fakeness
of Michelson and he does not try to cater to a demographic.

Of course it's a silly record - completely arbitrary. Did you read the
full article, and how eloquent he was about Sam Snead and his
beautiful swing? Do you know that Vijay absolutely reveres Snead
and had read all of his books as a poor golfer in Fiji? To say he
snubs Snead is about the most opposite to what he was trying to
say and what he feels as you can possibly get. All he meant was
that his age doesn't matter. It's winning that counts.

And yes, winning a tournament on the PGA tour is an amazing
accomplishment when you come from somewhere like Fiji!!
He was being modest! He was trying to say how fantastic it
was just to win a damn tour event, and what an impossible
dream that alone was..do you have any idea how many
people in the third world and other poor countries will never
even get to see a golf course, much less walk on it, much less
play on it, much less reach some international standard of
excellence?? If anything, his genuineness and respect for
the game shine in that one simple sentence. You will just never
see it, you seem far too prejudiced.

And good grief, if you think he was also dumping on Freddy Funk,
you really should get your head out of your backend. Did you
even read the article AT ALL?? He was talking about not imposing
unnecessary limitations on oneself, and expecting to win if he was
fit, that age is not a limitation!

I like Tiger, I like Phil, I like a lot of players on Tour. More than any
of them, I respect Vijay for what he's accomplished, for his simple,
shining love for the game. For his blue-collar work ethic, for his
devotion to what he cares about. Just golf. It's very simple. He's
not pretty, he's not young, he's not charismatic and TV-friendly.
No Tiger Woods-like sex appeal, no white folk hero status like
Phil, he of the slick marketing glitz.

They will never know how far he had to come, and all the subtle
sneering (yes, he works hard, but it's always a snide remark
when it's about Vijay, complimentary if it's Tiger or someone) he
has had to endure.

It's just sickening, the racism, the prejudice, the hatred, the
intolerance, the injustice, the bitter carping, the mean, whiny
undercutting of his talent. Give me a break. The rest of the
planet could practice twice as hard and never be anywhere
near as good.

Vijay is a great golfer, and a simple human being.

Lay off the bile. We're sick of it.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-08 @ 20:46
Comment from: Pete Geoffrey [Visitor]
My heavens! What a hatchet job! You must really have a major grudge against Vijay Singh.

I watched the Golf Channel coverage that showed his interviews and Frank Nobilo specifically compared Vijay's swing with Sam Snead's, mentioned that Vijay had a bunch of Sam Snead books in his library and held him in high regard. None of Vijay's comments during the interview came across as dismissive of Golf history or it legends.

Either you didn't do even minimal homework to check your perception (incompetence) or didn't care what the facts were (dishonesty). Take your pick. Hope you can live with yourself.

It is sleazy folks like you that give journalists a bad name. Hope the management of worldgolf.com is listening. Pls get writers with integrity for your website.

PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-08 @ 21:28
Comment from: RG [Visitor]
Pathetic Blog! Two thumbs down to you!!!

Let's see you hit the golf ball a hundred years(in any direction :) ) at whatever your age is...
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-08 @ 23:01
Comment from: StraightShooter [Visitor]
What idiocy. Get your head out of your ass and smell something different than the smoke out of your rearend buddy. Please worldgolf.com, ignorant idiots like this one should not be let out of the insane, asinine, moronic asaylum ever, to write such utter stupidity! You dont deserve these kind words from me mate! Believe me, Im being nice to you. Vijay Singh is an absolute statesman, as genuine as they come and holds Snead in the highest regard, Buy yourself a freaking TV and watch the coverage!
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 03:34
Comment from: John D [Visitor]
Hey Blue Eyes...

You forgot one.

The only player to knock Tigger out of number one ranking.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 05:25
Comment from: Stacy [Visitor] · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners
I don't believe I made Vijay Singh out to be mean or nasty and I don 't have a grudge against him.

And, to Anonymous, I am not racist nor intolerant nor have I said that the man doesn't have any talent. You should re-read the blog.

Vijay was just trying to blow off the fact that his next big birthday is 50 (Champion's Tour) and trying to ignore the fact that 40, being the entrance to middle age, is no longer 25.

It's really all about age denial.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 08:58
Comment from: Barry [Visitor] · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners
Golf, as in all sports, is full of statistics, whether Vijay likes it or not.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 09:02
Comment from: patricia [Visitor] · http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com
Vij rocks. He's never going to be a diplomat, that's for sure. But he doesn't need to be.

It is about age denial. He obviously hates the fact that at 43 and beyond, the world generally looks at you as a has-been. Records based on age are a dubious distinction at best. I mean who really wants to be the oldest man to climb Everest, or the oldest woman to have a baby, or the winner of the most X events after the age of... some big number. I'm inclined to think that most would gladly relinquish the record for their lost youth. Vij is reacting to that I think, in his normal visceral way.

As for your blog, I think it's great that you said what lots of people feel about Vijay. Hell, if you can't write what you feel what's the point.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 11:55
Comment from: Shivas [Visitor] · http://www.shivas.org
Not sure where you've been. Sam Snead may be legendary but he can hardly be described as a "living legend."
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 12:52
Comment from: Stacy [Visitor] · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners
Thanks. I have removed the erroneous text.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 13:42
Comment from: Baby Blue Eyes [Visitor]
To really upset VJ further, someone's got to remind him that Michelle Wie made more money than him overall both on and off the golf course.

Additionally, they can remind VJ that she is a part time profesional who never won, and who never made the cut in a men's events.

Now that would really tick him off....
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 14:47
Comment from: Booger [Visitor]
Sam Snead was never banned from the Asian Tour for cheating nor from the
Australian Tour for not paying a hotel bill at a tournament site. When Vijay's
hard work wasn't paying off he acted with no honor. He should learn to
keep his mouth shut and be happy that the PGA Tour allows foreigners to
come and play.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 15:24
Comment from: Judge Smails [Visitor]
Baby,

One correction: Bubbles hasn't made anywhere close to what Singh has on the golf course.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 15:59
Comment from: mully [Visitor]
Nice hatchet job scumbag. Singh is right.Hey Booger: nice job of representing the USA there.Keep your mouth shut and maybe the rest of the world will start to pay your country some respect.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 16:33
Comment from: Booger [Visitor]
What's the matter mully, truth got you in a bind?
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 16:49
Comment from: Trevor Stevens [Visitor]
Mully,

Mind your own biz-wax and back off...Booger is my be-yotch...I am the only one allowed to ride his arse....
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-09 @ 17:26
Comment from: Booger [Visitor]
Thanks, Trevor. Oh yes, and up your's, Trevor!
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-10 @ 13:29
Comment from: Trevor Stevens [Visitor]
Mucus,

When you were young. Did you:

- wet your bed till teen
- torture animals
- get abused by your uncles and aunts

Do you currently:

-own a white mini van
-live alone
-own a tool set and handy with them
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-11 @ 09:58
Comment from: Booger [Visitor]
Must crush communism in the form of Trevor Stevens.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-01-11 @ 17:54
Comment from: Gnarls Woodson [Visitor]
Stacy,

Make sure to pen a new hatchet job piece about Vijay after his win today at Arnold Palmer's tournament. In an interview with Jimmy Roberts immediately he finished on 18, Vijay talked about what an honor it was to win first Jack's tournament (the Memorial), and now Arnie's. He then joked about how he loved the course, except for th 18th hole, which he said probably cost him two tournaments. Please feel free to manipulate his words into a riveting piece about how Vijay hates the entire course and wants to break Arnold Palmer's hip.

You're a beacon of inspiration to journalists everywhere.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-03-18 @ 17:10

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