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CHRYSLER CHAMPIONSHIP


October 27, 2004


Vijay Singh


PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA

Q. Do you think some of the crowds that normally follow Tiger are following you this week?

VIJAY SINGH: I don't know. There's a lot more crowd. I mean, obviously when Tiger is not playing, I'm the best player in the field, so they like to watch that.

Maybe a little bit more increasing crowds, and obviously the way I've been playing, they want to see good golf.

Q. When Tiger is playing have you noticed there have been more people following you because of your success?

VIJAY SINGH: I don't know. I haven't played with Tiger that many times in the last month or so, so I'll let you know next week.

Q. What do you think about the golf course? Is it any different than you remember?

VIJAY SINGH: The rough is longer. You've got to keep the ball in the fairway this week.

The greens are playing pretty much the same as last year, a lot more grass on the greens, but the rough is going to be torture this week if you go in there, so try to stay away from the rough is the best advice I can give everybody out there.

Q. Is it even difficult around the greens to chip?

VIJAY SINGH: Well, if you miss it on the wrong places off the greens, then it's impossible. The greens are still very quick, and the fairways are generous, but if you miss it in the wrong places on the -- in the rough along the fairways, then you just can't get to the greens. That's one of the hardest Bermuda roughs I've ever played.

Q. Being so close to such a benchmark in earnings, being the first with that, what does that mean to you?

VIJAY SINGH: It really means -- I mean, I've won the Money List. I mean, nobody is going to catch me on the Money List. Right now I can go ahead and play freely and get to that $10 million mark that everybody is talking about. If I don't get it, I've not played well the last two weeks. Next two weeks the money is almost $100,000. I just have to play decent to get to that mark. My goal is to get there, but right now my focus is trying to win this golf tournament. The way I'm playing, I give myself a very good chance.

Q. Has that quest been icing on the cake since being No. 1 has been what matters?

VIJAY SINGH: It would be. Nobody has reached that mark yet, and people play all their career to get to $10 million and I'll probably do it in one year. It's just a milestone. It's going to be more common later on in the future probably, but it would be good to get there first.

Q. You won't hang it up next year, will you?

VIJAY SINGH: You never know.

Q. Where do you see the state of golf as far as negotiations for the TV deal are going to go? Where do you see the PGA TOUR as far as people winning out there and the excitement from that standpoint?

VIJAY SINGH: You've got to ask the Commissioner that question, but I can only talk for the players. This year there have been five rookies winning. That's a great, great -- I don't know how you say it, but it tells you how strong the Tour really is. I mean, everybody playing out here this week is capable of winning, no matter if it's a rookie or a veteran. The standard of play on this Tour is just so high, the cuts have been a lot lower than ever before. I think you're going to see a lot more younger guys coming up, a lot more excitement in golf in the near future, and it'll be good for everyone to watch.

Q. So the parity seems to work well for the fans?

VIJAY SINGH: I think so. There's no one winner anymore. Okay, I've won a lot this year, but apart from me, everybody has had a share of it, and I think that's good for the TV, good for the fans, good for everybody.

Q. You're like six wins behind Sam Snead for most wins for a player in his 40s. You've won 11 and he's won 17. How much would that mean to you, something like that?

VIJAY SINGH: Every week some sort of a stat comes up. This is a new one I've never heard before. Now since you've said it, I've got six more wins to go.

Q. How long do you see yourself -- do you see yourself mid-40s being able to keep this up? How long can you keep going?

VIJAY SINGH: If Jay Haas can do it when he's 50, why can't I do it at 55? I'm physically capable of doing it. Right now my focus is the end of this year and then next year. I'm really gearing up for next year right now. Health-wise I'm really good. I've got no injuries, and I'm getting stronger, so we'll have to wait and see.

Q. When you first came to the PGA TOUR in 93, did you even envision winning eight times total, let alone eight in one year? Could you have even dreamed of --

VIJAY SINGH: You know, when I came here in 92, 93, I just wanted to win one time. One time would have been a big achievement, winning on the U.S. Tour. Just keeping my card was the goal when I first came over here. But eight times, wow.

All right, thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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