Singh foresees brighter year

Former world number one predicts new year improvement

Last updated: 1st January 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Singh foresees brighter year

Singh: Optimistic

Also see

Vijay Singh says he is optimistic that 2008 will be a better year for him after a largely frustrating 2007 season.

The Fijian is preparing for the defence of his Mercedes-Benz Championship title in Kapalua, Hawaii but knows he must show an improvement in his game if he is to end a barren nine months on tour.

His two wins last season both came in the early months of the year before a dip in form left him struggling for results.

Now, with a revamped swing and a new fitness trainer, he believes he is ready to take the tour by storm once again.

"Last year I was very disappointed in the way I played," said Singh, who briefly displaced Tiger Woods as world number one in 2004.

Discouraged

"Although I had two wins, I was really very discouraged in the way I played in the mid-season and during the majors. The two wins happened very early in the season, in the first three months, and the rest of the season was pretty cold for me.

"I did not perform like I thought I would. I had my chances but just never closed the deal. It was very disappointing."

Singh's 31st and most recent PGA Tour title came at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and he came close to winning at the Wachovia Championship in May and the Canadian Open in July.

"I know guys go through their whole career not winning one event," the 44-year-old said. "My expectations are pretty high. I don't like playing six months of the year and not winning a golf tournament. I felt like I let myself down there."

Seeking an upturn in fortunes, Singh has worked on remodelling his swing and has been pleased with the results.

"The position on top was very low, very flat and laid off and that's pretty much the worst place I want my golf swing to be," he said.

"Right now it's totally changed. It's so much more upright, so much more down the line and kind of more in sync with my body.

"The change is coming along and there's a lot of good coming out of it. The golf shots I'm hitting are so much better and the ball flight is a lot stronger."