Singh says he's ready to win opener
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
KAPALUA, Hawaii -- Forget that adage about familiarity breeding contempt. Vijay Singh can tell you otherwise.
His familiarity with the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort has resulted in extreme confidence -- and why not? Singh has finished eighth or better every time he's teed it up on this picturesque hillside layout overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Singh is back this week to defend his title as the Mercedes-Benz Championship opens the 2008 PGA TOUR season and kicks off the race to the FedExCup. After runner-up finishes in 2004 and '06, he held a share of the lead at the end of every round last year and eventually beat Adam Scott by two strokes.
"Some good breaks, good shots at the right time, making the right putt at the right time makes all the difference," Singh noted. "I had chances here two, three years ago and just (didn't capitalize) on the situation. Last year was more free flowing.
"I don't think I did anything different, I just played a lot more solid golf and made more putts than I normally do."
Singh says this lush layout with the spectacular views that plays to a unique par of 73 probably doesn't suit his game any more than any other of the 30 players in the field. His experience -- make that familiarity -- here, though, gives him the edge.
"I was playing with Daniel (Chopra) yesterday and I could see how he was analyzing every shot, every green," Singh said. "I'm just looking back and say, hey, you just have to hit it here and it's going to feed down here. This is his first year, so you can see the big difference in how knowledge you have about the golf course makes that much difference."
Singh actually is playing in the Mercedes-Benz Championship for the 12th time, the first three starts coming at La Costa in Carlsbad, Calif. Only 2001 champ Jim Furyk and Mark Calcavecchia come close -- making their 11th starts this week. In fact, counting Chopra, there are 12 first-timers in the field.
The 44-year-old World Golf Hall of Famer comes to Kapalua on the heels of an offseason that he estimates featured no more than a month at home. And besides, when Singh takes time off, he doesn't stop working out, "so it's like a break when I come out of the road," he said.
"I know that everybody that shows up here are ready to play and ready to win," Singh said. "They're all winners. But I know that half of the guys will show up here because they've won and they want to get prepared this week. I'm prepared when I come over here."
Unseasonable lows in the 20s were expected Wednesday night in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., where Singh makes his home, but that's nothing like the weather the rest of the United States is experiencing. He's been able to play and practice, which Singh feels gives him another edge.
"If you look at it that way, I think I've only got half the guys to beat because so many guys are coming from how cold their home is right now," he said. "Half of America is under snow, I think. I've seen a few guys coming up to the TPC (Sawgrass) to warm up before coming over here, guys practicing and getting ready for this event.
"I'm ready to play and ready to win."
Singh is feeling more comfortable with the swing change he initiated in the latter stages of a 2007 campaign that featured two wins, but also had an uncharacteristic late-season stretch that saw him miss two cuts and finish no higher than 56th in the other three starts.
Singh has gone from being laid off at the top to nearly across the line -- which alters the dynamics of the swing but should pay dividends in the long run. He also switched trainers, and he feels the new workouts have added muscle to an already sculpted physique.
"I just thought I needed it," he explained. "I mean, I almost fell over the other day when I saw a shot of my backswing at the U.S. Open, and I said, wow, I didn't know I was swinging that bad. It showed that if you get too complacent about your golf swing it can get from bad to worse.
"I just play from year to year and see what needs to be done, and this is a big, big difference. I'm more than thrilled to know that I found out what I was doing wrong, that it wasn't just on my takeaway but pretty much the top of the backswing was the biggest fault."
The mechanics may be there now, but the 31-time PGA TOUR champ is still learning to trust his swing. Competition, he says, is the key, which is why he played several events in Asia this fall. A return to Kapalua could be just what he needs.
"Maybe when the gun goes tomorrow I may not think about it at all," Singh said with a smile. There's that confidence speaking again.
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