Singh and Sabbatini Have Verbal Clash Over a Caddie

[zipazoid]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/sports/golf/vijah-singh-and-rory-sabbatini-in-verbal-clash-at-sony-open.html?partner=rss&emc;=rss

Quote:

HONOLULU — The PGA Tour’s first full-field tournament of the year will not soon be forgotten, although not for the quality of its field or the pedigree of its winner, Johnson Wagner.

Hugh Gentry/Reuters

Vijay Singh, pictured, and Rory Sabbatini had a verbal confrontation in the third round.

The weekend began with Matt Every atop the Sony Open leader board and hoping to distance himself from a three-month suspension he served two years ago as a rookie for conduct unbecoming of a professional after an arrest on a misdemeanor drug charge. And it ended with Vijay Singh , a three-time major winner, having to explain allegations of a lapse in professional conduct.

Paired on Sunday with 20-year-old Seung-yul Noh of South Korea, Singh, 48, completed a round of two-under-68 at Waialae Country Club without incident. The same could not be said of his third-round pairing with Rory Sabbatini , which ended with Sabbatini weighing whether to file a formal complaint against Singh with the PGA Tour for verbal abuse against Sabbatini’s caddie, Mick Doran.

According to volunteers who said they witnessed the incident, Singh, just after missing a 6-foot par put on the first hole of his third round, swore at Doran for moving while he had lined it up. When Sabbatini spoke up in defense of Doran, Singh swore at him loudly enough for volunteer marshals near the gallery ropes to hear. Singh and Sabbatini continued to jaw at each other. A security volunteer, Alan Awana, said he had never seen anything like it in his more than two decades working on the tournament.

Awana was in a cart following Singh on Sunday as part of a conspicuous security presence. Ted Coons, the volunteer in charge of security, said the number of volunteers assigned to shadow Singh, who won this tournament in 2005, was determined before the weekend’s start and was based on the fact that Singh is a perennial fan favorite here.

Mark Russell, the PGA Tour vice president for rules, competition and administration, said Sabbatini complained about Singh’s behavior. He said he told him to send an e-mail containing “whatever he had to say” to the PGA Tour Competitions department.

After signing for a 69 and a 72-hole score of five-under 275, Sabbatini would not say whether he had acted on Russell’s advice.

“That’s between me and the tour,” Sabbatini said. He confirmed the facts of the story provided by the volunteers and said: “The only thing I told Vijay is whatever he was saying to my caddie is inappropriate. I was just sticking up for my caddie, who doesn’t deserve to be talked to in that manner.”

Singh, who closed with a 68 to finish at three-under 277, described what happened as “just some misunderstanding” and said: “That’s it. We’re cool.”

He had left the course by the time Sabbatini finished. Sabbatini made it clear that the matter, in his mind, was not closed.

“I feel that Vijay definitely needs to approach my caddie and resolve the situation,” he said.

It was the second time in two weeks that Doran found himself pulled uncomfortably into the public eye.

At the Tournament of Champions, Sabbatini was assessed a two-stroke penalty during his second round for a late arrival at the first tee. He was on the practice green putting when his name was called. Doran absorbed the blame, saying his watch was a few minutes slow.

Sabbatini, who has acknowledged that he has to fight his fiery nature to play competitive golf, last year engaged Sean O’Hair in an on-course argument at a PGA event in New Orleans.

He texted O’Hair afterward and told him to give him a call, and in the conversation that followed he apologized. The confrontation came on the heels of an episode involving Sabbatini during the tour stop in Los Angeles when he berated a teenage volunteer who was helping him find his lost ball.

Singh has also been known to lash out at volunteers and reporters.

“These guys are very competitive players,” Russell said. “They don’t always agree on everything. But it is a gentleman’s sport, and that’s why we’re going to take a look at everything.”

Imagine that. The two biggest tools on the tour having a confrontation.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Imagine that. The two biggest tools on the tour having a confrontation.

From what I've heard and seen, Vijay is well liked by his fellow golfers. He routinely helps younger players, and stops his own practice to watch others swings or just chat.

He doesn't care for reporters, though, so it's often reported that he's not a great guy.

[zipazoid]

A few years back at Firestone, a volunteer that served in Fiji asked Singh to sign a pic of him when he was a young pro there & the story goes that not only did Singh refuse to sign it, but he berated the volunteer over it. And there was the 'shoe spike' incident with Mickelson at the Masters a few years back.

Yeah I know, not huge deals, but he's not the best-liked guy out there.

But Sabbatini is a total tool.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

And there was the 'shoe spike' incident with Mickelson at the Masters a few years back.

Yeah I know, not huge deals, but he's not the best-liked guy out there.

Yeah, Vijay getting upset at Phil leaving big ol' spike marks everywhere, what a jerk that Vijay is... ?

[zipazoid]

You obviously disagree. Cool.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by iacas

From what I've heard and seen, Vijay is well liked by his fellow golfers. He routinely helps younger players, and stops his own practice to watch others swings or just chat.

He doesn't care for reporters, though, so it's often reported that he's not a great guy.

Yea I've heard both sides of it.  Vijay seems like he's buddies with quite a few guys out there but I think there's also a group of pros, more his generation, that still associate him with that cheating incident in '85 on the European tour.

[k-troop]

Seems that Vijay gets a lot of negative press attention, deserved or not.  I recall an incident some years back in Hawaii where he publicly questioned a female golfer's right to play in a PGA Tour event.  Turns out, that particular golfer had no business being in the field, but it was a pretty alarming comment, nonetheless.

As far as Rory getting his feelings hurt, well he is a tool, and somehow gets "wronged" fairly often.

[newtogolf]

I'm not a big fan of either but would give the benefit of the doubt to Vijay over Rory.

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I'm not a big fan of either but would give the benefit of the doubt to Vijay over Rory.

I agree with that.

[WWBDD]

Originally Posted by k-troop

I recall an incident some years back in Hawaii where he publicly questioned a female golfer's right to play in a PGA Tour event.  Turns out, that particular golfer had no business being in the field, but it was a pretty alarming comment, nonetheless.

It was Sorenstam ...

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/story?id=1552644

... he's a douchebag in my book.

[Stretch]

Jeez, Sabbo's always in the middle of it somehow!

As much of a tool as he can be (and he's more of a Texan than a South African now, so you all can have him with our blessing) -- in this case I don't see how he's at fault particularly. Don't talk to my ball, don't curse at my caddie -- both of these are my prerogatives.

[tristanhilton85]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Yea I've heard both sides of it.  Vijay seems like he's buddies with quite a few guys out there but I think there's also a group of pros, more his generation, that still associate him with that cheating incident in '85 on the European tour.

Asian tour, wasn't it?

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by tristanhilton85

Asian tour, wasn't it?

Yep your right

http://thesandtrap.com/b/swing_thoughts/once_a_cheater

Acceptance has been an issue for Singh ever since a nebulous 1985 incident in Jakarta in which he was accused of altering his scorecard in order to make the cut at a tournament, an allegation he denies. At the mention of Singh's name last week one American Ryder Cupper sniffed, "Once a cheater, always a cheater. Golf has a long memory.

[jhwmusic]

I friend of mine who is a player rep for a major equipment manufacturer (don't want to name it cuz I don't know who reads this stuff) on the PGA tour snuck us passes to go "inside the ropes" at Cog Hill a few years ago.   We got to talking about who the guys on tour hate the most and his immediate answer was Tiger.  Tiger won't even let most players walk behind while he is practicing on the range...he has a line of body guards and agents in a 20 foot semi circle around him while he hits balls.  Tiger is know trying to be "one of the guys" but I think they are just being nice to him out of respect....or fear.   My buddy also introduced us to a bunch of the players...Furyk, Kenny Perry, Jason Day and so on...and they were all very nice.  Though the one that stood out was non other than Rory Sabatini...he was as nice as can be.   And my buddy said he gets a bad rap because he just has a knack for putting his foot in his mouth...or doing something stupid.  But for the most part, he said he is one of the nicest guys on tour.  Yeah he looks like a dbag, but he was very nice to me.  He cracked jokes with us and even threw around a nerf football behind all the equipment trucks after his practice round.  I have read a lot of bad things about him but like I said...most people on tour actually like him.  And he's REALLY good with kids!

Didn't really talk about Singh, but I did hear the younger players like him.  Older players not so much.

[caniac6]

"He is really good with kids." Didn't he have a situation with a kid last season that left the kid in tears? I believe that led to his feud with O'Hair.

[jhwmusic]

Its just what i was told by someone who is around him on a weekly basis and what i saw when I interacted with him.  that is all.   I seriously doubt all that stuff with O'hair is all true...nothing is actually what it seems in the media.   and the altercation was actually about slow play...sabattini asked O'hair if pace of play was a problem and O'hair flipped out.     O'hair has a temper just like his pops!  I'm not a Rory fan...I'm just voicing what I have heard...that's all.

[jhwmusic]

But yes, O'hair was in the group when rory got a little fired up at that kid.  So maybe it had something to do with the fight.  But O'hair wasn't exactly having a great weak when all that went down in New Orleans...he fired everyone around him right after the fight with Sabbo.  so he was obviously in a bad mood...probably because he was playing like crap.

[clubchamp]

I generally don't make assumptions on players based on what I read in the media but Rory seems like his short fuse is a problem. Now for Singh I was a tourney a couple years ago and he missed a putt and immediately went over to a volunteer to accuse them that he missed the putt because they moved in his back stroke. He didn't really go off but he made some rude comments and ever since that incident I just see him as the guy who always blames someone else.