PGA Makes Vijay Clear POY Favorite
Sunday August 15, 2004
The 2004 PGA Championship that Vijay Singh won in a playoff on Sunday is the 20th career PGA Tour win for Singh. It's his third major championship. It also is the win that makes Singh a clearcut favorite to win Player of the Year. In fact, Singh's lead in the clubhouse may well be insurmountable.
The win was Singh's 5th on the PGA Tour this year. Nobody else has more than two wins. One of Singh's win is a major; the other three majors were won by three different players.
Todd Hamilton fits both categories, having won the British Open as one of his two victories this season. But Hamilton hasn't shown up on many leaderboards in his other events. Hamilton is no threat to Vijay in the Player of the Year race even if he were to win one more tournament.
What about U.S. Open champ Retief Goosen? He might be the European Tour's player of the year, but in the U.S. PGA Tour race, forget about it.
Phil Mickelson is probably everyone's sentimental favorite, and Mickelson was looking great heading into the PGA. His win at the Masters was a memorable one, and he also won earlier in the year. He's had a terrific season in the majors, finishing second in the U.S. Open and third in the British Open.
But Singh simply has too many advantages now. Singh has three more victories than Mickelson and is No. 1 on the money list.
Mickelson is, however, the only player with a shot to catch Singh in the Player of the Year race. If Singh doesn't win again the remainder of the year, while Mickelson wins one of the remaining World Golf Championships events, and adds another Tour victory on top it, Mickelson would be a strong contender. Especially if, in so doing, Mickelson can pass Singh on the money list.
But that's a tall order. And it certainly appears, at this time, that Vijay Singh will win his first PGA Tour Player of the Year award for his 2004 season.
• More on the PGA Championship
• PGA Tour career victory leaders
The win was Singh's 5th on the PGA Tour this year. Nobody else has more than two wins. One of Singh's win is a major; the other three majors were won by three different players.
Todd Hamilton fits both categories, having won the British Open as one of his two victories this season. But Hamilton hasn't shown up on many leaderboards in his other events. Hamilton is no threat to Vijay in the Player of the Year race even if he were to win one more tournament.
What about U.S. Open champ Retief Goosen? He might be the European Tour's player of the year, but in the U.S. PGA Tour race, forget about it.
Phil Mickelson is probably everyone's sentimental favorite, and Mickelson was looking great heading into the PGA. His win at the Masters was a memorable one, and he also won earlier in the year. He's had a terrific season in the majors, finishing second in the U.S. Open and third in the British Open.
But Singh simply has too many advantages now. Singh has three more victories than Mickelson and is No. 1 on the money list.
Mickelson is, however, the only player with a shot to catch Singh in the Player of the Year race. If Singh doesn't win again the remainder of the year, while Mickelson wins one of the remaining World Golf Championships events, and adds another Tour victory on top it, Mickelson would be a strong contender. Especially if, in so doing, Mickelson can pass Singh on the money list.
But that's a tall order. And it certainly appears, at this time, that Vijay Singh will win his first PGA Tour Player of the Year award for his 2004 season.
• More on the PGA Championship
• PGA Tour career victory leaders
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