FORMER golf world No.1 Vijay Singh returned home yesterday to compete in this week’s Fiji International at Natadola.
The Lautoka-born player is keen to give the other participants a good run at the Natadola Bay Championship Course on Thursday.
He arrived into the country via the Fiji Airways Honolulu flight yesterday morning.
“I’m happy to be back home. It’s been almost a year,” he said.
Last year Singh, 53, finished third, behind runner-up Aron Price and winner Matt Kuchar.
With the tournament recording seven PGA Tour winners, Singh, who started as a caddy in Nadi, said he would be in top swing to finish well in the four-day tournament.
“Hopefully the golf course is in good shape. I’m playing pretty good, so looking forward to giving the guys a little run, so will see what happens.”
Nicknamed ‘The Big Fijian’ Singh was the No.1 on the official world golf rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005.
Singh has won three major championships in his career —— the Masters in 2002 and the PGA Championship in 1998 and 2004.
From a humble beginning in golf in Fiji, Singh rakes up success in the sport and led the PGA Tour money winning list in 2003, 2004 and 2008.
He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2005.
The 2016 Fiji International winner will walk away with $F2.34 million (A$1.5m).
Marquee players are Singh —— three-time Major winner, Brandt Snedeker —— world No.23, Steven Bowditch —— two-time winner on the PGA Tour, Boo Weekley —— three-time winner on the PGA Tour, Heath Slocum —— four-time winner on the PGA Tour.
The Fiji International starts on Thursday with Round 1 at about 6.15am.
