Vijay wins $10 million, blows off media

Vijay Singh clinched the Fed Ex Cup title Sunday, and $10 mill. At the time he finished (one hour before the lead group was done), it wasn't etched in stone, but the computer projections pegged it. From what I heard, he wouldn't talk with NBC or the print guys because the tournament wasn't over and clinching the FedEX Cup wasn't official. But he wouldn't wait one hour.

I know Singh is notorious for being difficult with the media, but does this one top all of the stories? $10 bleeping million, and he can't wait an hour, then give NBC two sound bites and the hacks there five minutes?

(By the way ... Before Singh can collect the money and the FedEx Cup, he still has to play all four rounds of the Tour Championship. But last-place points in the no-cut tournament still clinches it for him).

 

It's not the first time Singh has been an ass; won't be the last. And no, this isn't the worse move of this kind. I've covered tournaments where the winner wouldn't talk to the gathered writers because of things they'd written a day or two earlier.

 

Yet, he wonders why he feels he's treated differently...

 

About a zillion years ago Woody Paige of all people wrote a profile of Vijay that is one of the best things I've ever read on the guy. I think he even went to Fiji to do it.

I've dealt with him a handful of times and he was a nightmare.

 

I was covering an event years ago that he won for one of his early victories. He walks into the interview room and says "Let's make this quick. I have a plane to catch." Uh, no asshole. You just won a couple hundred grand. Sit down and talk, cheater.

 

I have no problem with doing a quick interview. But if you win and leave without talking, that's not cool.

 

Vijay had a reputation on the Asian tour that would curl your hair.

 

Actually, Singh spoke when he was cornered by a Tour PR guy and Andrew Both of PA Sportsticker (and, I think, Australian AP).
He answered four questions. It's on the ASAP site.
But he's still a mope.

 

The one time I interviewed him, he was the most boring, stale person I had dealt with on Tour.

 

Is it a rule of the PGA that golfers be available to the media?

 

maybe he only speaks Korean

 

They should give boring, rude players like that hand puppets to talk to the media with.