VJ Singh....why not popular?

[gogolfing]

I like the 'Big Fijian"; I was at the Canadian Open in 2006 when it was in Vancouver and he was the highest ranked player in the field. He talked with spectators and signed autographs after he was done practicing, and I noticed almost all the players there stopped and talked with him as they walked past him on the range. I like the fact that he plays a lot and is loyal to tournaments.

[Laxplayer201092]

What exactly is the situation with Annika? or what did he say?

[microcrayfish]

What exactly is the situation with Annika? or what did he say?

He said she didn't belong on the PGA Tour when she played in a tournament a few years back. I'm sure someone else will be able to explain in more detail.

Personally I always root for Vijay, it's always good to see someone from this part of the world doing well on the international level.

[Shindig]

What exactly is the situation with Annika? or what did he say?

Annika played in a PGA Tour event (Colonial) a few years back. Vijay was misquoted by the press, which claimed something to the effect that he wouldn't play if he was paired with her. His actual quote was that he wouldn't be paired with her, because he was being paired with fellow past champions of the event.

He did, however, say that he thought she should have to qualify for a men's event if she wants to play.

[Chief Broom]

He said she didn't belong on the PGA Tour when she played in a tournament a few years back. I'm sure someone else will be able to explain in more detail.

That's not what he said. He didn't have a problem with a woman playing in a PGA event. What he disagreed with was Annika getting a sponsor's exemption thereby taking away a spot that would have been filled by someone who had earned the right to play in the field. He felt she should have gone through the same process to quailfy to play as everyone else in that field. She hadn't so he wasn't impressed with her appearance in the tournament.

[Laxplayer201092]

Well shoot.. None of that seems bad..

In fact, i like the guy even more after that..The guy puts in the time, and he sees resulsts. He says what he sees, and thats always a better path.

Now in Tigers situation, he has to say stuff that goes with the flow, because if he doesnt, he will get ripped..

[mirv]

i read an article this weekend that said vijay is part of a program where, for every eagle he makes, he donates $5,000 to a children's hospital. at the end of the year, vijay had six eagles, so he was supposed to ante up $30,000. he tacked on another zero and gave them $300,000. that really moved him up in my book. vijay's evidently been working hard to raise awareness for this program, and after talking to vijay about it, camillio villegas (or however his name is spelled) threw in $50,000 on it.

[Trav]

Regarding the cheating:

1) Here is an article about the cheating incident in Indonesia. It was many years ago. Decide for yourself whether this warrants a current lack of popularity:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/gol...16/teeing_off/

2) I have no idea when he was last in a qualifying tournament, but as he started off in such events, it's entirely possible the story about what another player supposedly witnessed in a qualifying event is true, though if it is, it likely occurred some years ago. I, for one, have no way of telling.

3) Clearly he is not alone in this regard. I believe I saw a video of someopne like Woody Austin (maybe someone else, can't recall at this moment) double hitting a putt within the last year.

Whether someone wants to hold an older incident against Singh is up to them.

Regarding Sorenstam, I found his comments - even as he apparently claimed to have made them, that is, that he thought Annika was taking away the spot of someone more deserving - to reflect a real lack of understanding. Sponsor exemptions are, and always have been, used to drum up interest. If you take him at his word, he should be objecting to the entire concept of sponsor exemptions.

Regarding the original question, I don't think it has to do with not being an American considering the popularity of many non-Amercian players. It's possible it has to do with not being white, although Woods has mostly overcome that same issue through force of personality. While I respect VJ's considerable talents, and his support of St. Jude's Hospital, he comes off to me as aloof, not engaging, and not very human in tournaments. This does not mean he is a bad person, but I simply don't find him very compelling, and usually I find someone else in an event that I prefer to see do well. Maybe this will change, but to each his own.

[zeg]

My understanding of his comments regarding Annika was that he was concerned not that she was taking up an earned spot by using the sponsor exemption, but that she was taking up the spot of a male. Although that sounds sexist, I don't think it is. As a female, she's free to enter LPGA tour events that are not available to the male pro she displaced (whether he gets in via a sponsor exemption or otherwise). Thus, she can try to qualify and if she doesn't make it, just go play whatever LPGA event is going on. The guy gets to go home...

I think that's a perfectly reasonable concern and while I see that it appears sexist, I don't think it's sexist any more than it's sexist to have the LPGA in the first place. No doubt it angered many would-be fans, but I think that has more to do with it being a somewhat subtle issue that doesn't reduce to an ESPN news sound bite very well...

[PEZGolf]

All:

Since you asked the question regarding Vijay not being popular with the fans, I will answer it with a factor that you did not mention. In his interviews and appearances at post round news conferences, Vijay comes across with a very dour personality that is slightly ameliorated with a wry sense of humor. In other words, he is boring, and not fun to listen to. Phil, on the other hand, comes across with an "Aw, gee shucks", Huck Finn personality with a smile usually on his face. Another very boring interviewee, in my opinion, is Jim Furyk. In today's world, I like Woody Austin, Boo Weekley, Bubba Watson, and JB Holmes, all whom are very interesting. In the old days, Lee Trevino, Chi Chi, Fuz, and Payne Stewart were very popular because they were fun to watch and fun to listen to. I respect Vijay's golf game and his accomplishments, but he is not fun to listen to during his interviews.

[Chief Broom]

From Wikipedia (admittedly not a source free from bias):

However, the 2003 season was also spotted with controversy involving Singh surrounding the year's event at the Bank of America Colonial. LPGA star Annika Sörenstam became the first woman to play at a PGA Tour event since Babe Zaharias at the 1945 Los Angeles Open. Surrounding this fervor, Singh was misquoted as having said that Sörenstam "didn't belong" on the men's tour and that he would not play if he were paired with her. What he actually said is that he would not be paired with her because his playing partner was being selected from the past champion's pool. Singh later clarified, "There are guys out there trying to make a living. It's not a ladies' tour. If she wants to play, she should—or any other woman for that matter—if they want to play the man's tour, they should qualify and play like everybody else."

[walk18]

"Vijay" (not VJ) is popular in my opinion. He's a hard worker and I don't think he's boring at all.

[Golf_Predictor_Guru]

I agree with what iacas has said. Add to that the the cheating scandal many years ago. Honestly, I do not even know the details but supposedly he changed a score on his scorecard after he finished (and I think he won because of it). At the time many people thought he had cheated. Whether he actually cheated or not, someone likes to bring this up every now and again. And because he's not loved by golf fans, he doesn't get the benefit of the doubt (like Tiger or Phil or any number of other players would).

I believe that Singh made the cut (and therefore made some cash) due to the "edited" scorecard. He was found out when a playing partner on the same original score heard he was still in the tournament. In a game of honour like golf, the stigma from this kind of thing never goes away. Contrast that to Padraig Harrington when he forgot to sign his 3rd round card in the 2000 Benson and Hedges International Open (Michael Campbell had signed it by mistake, thereby filling the signature slot). He was disqualified from a tournament that was in the bag, but his dignified reaction made him even more popular on the European Tour.

[Jmacgolf99]

Vijay is actually one of the most liked players by his peers...don't listen to everything the media has to say

[GaijinGolfer]

Vijay seems kind of cold when he gives interviews. He doesnt seem to have the charisma and doesnt come across as being as warm and friendly as some other golfers.
Ive also always thought that Vijay came across as kind of full of himself.

[Laxplayer201092]

Vijay seems kind of cold when he gives interviews. He doesnt seem to have the charisma and doesnt come across as being as warm and friendly as some other golfers.

I think you ahve to be kinda full of yourself to compete at that level, the whole, " are you the best putter in the world?" and he replies with, "your damn right i am" I dont think came across as full of himself, it came across as a guy who was in control of his mind, and can minipulate it to get him wins, AKA the ten Mil at the end of the season.

[Chas]

Annika played in a PGA Tour event (Colonial) a few years back. Vijay was misquoted by the press, which claimed something to the effect that he wouldn't play if he was paired with her. His actual quote was that he wouldn't be paired with her, because he was being paired with fellow past champions of the event.

Correct, and he was quite right IMO. Why should Annika, or any other woman, get a free pass into an event because she doesn't have a Y chromosome? Anything to satisfy the bean-counters I suppose - now

there's a view I cannot respect or admire. This is one reason why VJ is not popular with the dim-wits and the politically correct in the media. Many of these people don't really care about the game of golf, or know much about it in fact. They're just interested in "controversy", increasing their ratings or pushing some political agenda, as in this case. I admire VJ for his honesty, his courage in speaking his mind about something like this, and his amazing combination of flexibility and strength. He really is a remarkable athlete, and his easy-going manner is something we need more of in golf. Too many tight-a**** jerks out there for my liking.

[shortstop20]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Good post, I agree 100%. The media is a bunch of fools.

i read an article this weekend that said vijay is part of a program where, for every eagle he makes, he donates $5,000 to a children's hospital. at the end of the year, vijay had six eagles, so he was supposed to ante up $30,000. he tacked on another zero and gave them $300,000. that really moved him up in my book. vijay's evidently been working hard to raise awareness for this program, and after talking to vijay about it, camillio villegas (or however his name is spelled) threw in $50,000 on it.

It's called "Eagles for St. Jude" and Vijay is a big supporter of it.