Vijay Singh claims anybody wanting to win the Masters this week needs "the
whole package" - and he believes he has it.
Singh also has an added incentive for wanting to lift the title for the second
time on Sunday. His father, who lives in New Zealand, is in America for the
first time in his life and here to watch him.
The 41-year-old Fijian, closing in fast on Tiger Woods at the top of the world
rankings, said: "You can't come here with one part of your game missing. To me
this is the hardest test we play.
"The greens are as fast as I've ever seen them, and putting is going to be a
key factor. But I'm favouring the longer hitters - the shorter shot you have
into the greens the easier it is to stop the ball where you want.
"I'd rather be facing a 20-footer uphill than a six to eight-footer
downhill."
Singh, the 2000 champion, is a golfer and a person more at peace with himself,
it seems, than at any time in a career which has had its moments of controversy
- most recently last year when he said he hoped Annika Sorenstam missed the cut
when she played on the US Tour.
"It's good to see my dad out here. I'm pretty relaxed. I have a great family,
great friends. I'm enjoying my game - I know I can win every time I tee up if I
play the way I know how - and I'm just having a great time."
Nowhere does he enjoy being more than Augusta National.
"Just driving up Magnolia Lane is a great feeling. You get the chills going
and feel fired-up," he said.
"For some reason when I come into the gates my game just lifts another level.
I hope I can maintain that for the whole week.
"My putting wasn't up to standard at TPC [the players Championship two weeks
ago], but I got one or two tips last week and feel like I'm putting a lot
better.
"I think I'm more relaxed, because I don't have a need to go to the driving
range. My game is up to a point where I just warm up, go work on a few bits and
pieces and go out and play.
"I'm comfortable with how I'm playing. I know how to fix my problems.
Probably that's why I'm a little bit less tense about my game."
While the official golf rankings - calculated over a two-year period - have
Singh at number two, an American golf magazine has calculated them solely over
the past year. On that basis he overtook Woods last week.
"It's good to know there's another ranking out there, and I was notified
about that. But I follow the one where I'm number two. That's the way the whole
world looks at it."
At the end of 2000 Singh was ninth, more than 22 points behind Woods. Now he
is second, only 3.35 behind.
If he were to win this week and if Woods misses the cut - two big 'ifs', but
possible - he could halve the gap further. It would not take much after that for
him to end a reign nearly five years long.
"You kind of look at the stats and look where you stand. But I really focus
on what I am doing; what I need to do to improve my ranking."
Singh's rise is helped by his improved fitness.
"I was in the gym at 7am on Monday and 6am on Tuesday," he said.
"I feel stronger than I've ever been and don't feel tired when I finish a
round or a practice session. I go and do another work-out if I have enough
energy."
Asked about Woods not being as dominant as he was, he replied: "I think the
standard of play has lifted. It's incredible how guys are scoring so much better
- and there are so many different guys doing it.
"You know, Tiger is Tiger. I don't know if he's not playing well or he's just
waiting for the majors. I have no idea."
He will know soon enough. While Singh is chasing a second green jacket, Woods
is after his fourth.
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