Springfield, N.J. – There’s one big problem with promoting golf’s best rivalry.
Vijay Singh, who begins defense of his PGA Championship today at Baltusrol Golf Club, won’t get sucked in. Singh continually insists his opponent is the golf course, not Tiger Woods.
This is never going to be Arnie vs. Jack.
“Tiger has been the best player, and he’s proven it over and over again,” Singh said diplomatically Wednesday when asked if anybody has played better golf than he has the past two years.
Golf might need a Johnny Miller, who once proclaimed himself the best player on the planet at a time when Jack Nicklaus was at the height of his powers.
That was good for golf.
And it was good for Nicklaus, who proceeded to show who was boss. His 1980 U.S. Open at Baltusrol was his 17th professional major championship. He would add one more to his record tally, the 1986 Masters. Miller finished his career with two majors. Before Miller pounded his chest, Nicklaus outdueled Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, and later in his career Lee Trevino and Tom Watson.
Woods, Nicklaus said Wednesday, has perhaps been given too much of a free pass.
“Tiger has dominated way beyond how anybody’s ever dominated. Nobody has ever done what he’s doing,” said Nicklaus, an honorary non-playing chairman of the 87th PGA. “I had (competitors) that were stronger players with more experience at winning than what Tiger has against him. Tiger has had it much to himself for a period of time.
“I didn’t want Arnold to leave (the top echelon) any more than Arnold wanted to leave. I enjoyed competing against Arnold, and I think Arnold enjoyed competing against me. … (And), we enjoyed beating each other’s brains out.”
Unlike Nicklaus and Palmer, Singh and Woods have never been called friends. Nor will you hear them call each other that.
“We don’t go to dinner yet,” Singh said when asked about their relationship. “You know, I don’t go to dinner together with 95 percent of the guys on tour, or maybe 99 percent. So why single Tiger out? I never have a drink with Phil Mickelson. Why doesn’t anyone talk about that?”
Almost lost amid the Woods hysteria this year is that Singh has four victories in 2005 and is coming off winning PGA Tour player of the year honors a year ago after winning nine times, including the PGA at Whistling Straits.
His latest victory, at the Buick Open two weeks ago, included a much-publicized third-round duel with Woods, whom he dusted with a 9-under-par 63. Woods shot a 70 and finished second.
“Obviously, I was fired up to play with Tiger, and I had the start you want playing with anybody,” Singh said. “I birdied the first three holes and shot 29 on the front side. Playing with anybody, that’s going to do the job.
“But I wasn’t pressured at all. I just went out there and tried to enjoy the game and play golf.”
Young players can learn from watching Singh stand up to Woods and not blink, said Fred Funk.
“It’s not just Tiger but what Tiger brings,” Funk said. “There’s so much commotion; it’s a carnival out there. You have to learn to deal with that. I love playing with Tiger or Vijay. My focus is a lot better because it has to be.”
Some players struggle to overcome the intimidation factor, Funk added.
“It’s tough, it’s a learning process,” he said. “Some people are able to manage it, and some people don’t.”
Singh won’t be intimidated, and he doesn’t play to be liked. Asked Wednesday if he has been misunderstood or underappreciated, he said it doesn’t matter to him.
“I am not going to beg,” Singh said. “I’m not the guy to go down there and get on my knees and say, ‘Hey, write good things about me.’ I’m not going to do that.
“I go out there to play golf tournaments and I speak my mind. I’m very honest about it. I’m not a fake like many guys out there.”
The so-called “Big Four” (Woods and Singh with Mickelson and Ernie Els) or “Big Five” (if Retief Goosen is included) appears to have been downsized, for the moment at least, to the Big Two.
If, however, Woods claims his third PGA on Sunday and third major of the year, again professional golf would become the Big One.
End of discussion.
“He’s won the right events,” Singh said.
Staff writer Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
