Singh becomes first $10 million man in golf
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-11-01 10:34

Vijay Singh will need time for this to sink in.

The guy who once gave $10 lessons as a club pro in Borneo is now the first $10 million man in golf. Singh once found work as a bouncer in a Scottish night club when he failed to get through European qualify school. On Sunday, he joined Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Paul Runyan and Tiger Woods as the only players with at least nine wins in a year.

"I just know it's been an incredible year for me," Singh said.

Fiji's Vijay Singh watches his tee shot on the second hole at the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth in southern England, October 14, 2004. [Reuters/file]

It got even better at the Chrysler Championship, where the 41-year-old Fijian put a quick end to the tournament with birdies on the first two holes, closed with a 6-under 65 and set the tournament scoring record and won by five shots for his ninth victory of the year.

Woods in 2000 also won nine times, the most by anyone since Snead won 11 times in 1950.

Singh won $900,000 to push his season earnings to $10,725,166, a staggering amount considering it took him eight years and 173 starts on the PGA Tour before making $10 million for his career.

"The wins keeps coming, and I'm enjoying every bit of it," Singh said.

He finished in style, hitting out of a fairway bunker to 15 feet and making that for birdie. Singh finished at 18-under 266 to break by one the record set in 2002 by K.J. Choi.

Tommy Armour III (69) and Jesper Parnevik (68) were five shots back, but they were just along for the ride.

"He hits the ball solid every shot, and he makes putts and does what he has to do to be No. 1," Armour said. "You're going to have to go out there and take it from him. He's not going to give it to you."

Armour unknowingly was in the giving mood.

His three-putt from 30 feet -- the par putt was only 3 feet -- dropped him into a two-way tie for second. That was the difference of $100,000, enough to allow Parnevik to finish No. 40 on the money list and qualify for the Masters.

The Chrysler Championship was the final full-field tournament of the year, the last chance for players to finish in the top 30 on the money list to qualify for the Tour Championship; the top 40 to get into the Masters; the top 125 to secure tour cards for next year; and the top 150 to get a pass to final stage of Q-school.

The other winners:

* Kenny Perry shot 67 to move up two spots to No. 29 and go to East Lake next week.

* Parnevik nudged out Joey Sindelar, who missed the cut, by $13,254.

* Tag Ridings made seven birdies on the last 10 holes for a 64 to finish No. 125.

* Jeff Brehaut made a birdie putt on the last hole that moved him up two spots to No. 149.

Reflection for Singh will have to wait. He has another event next week -- the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake -- and another chance to win.

"I'm not going to show up there and feel relaxed," Singh said. "I'm going to be just as intense as I've ever been."

He could have relaxed on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook, especially after getting up-and-down for birdie on the opening hole and following that with an 8-foot birdie to build a three-shot lead.

No one got closer than two shots the rest of the way. Singh didn't protect his lead, either, firing at flags and making par putts when he missed the green.

It was his largest margin of victory since he won by six shots in the 2002 Houston Open. And his lead on the money list is now more than $5 million over Phil Mickelson.

Singh put a quick and decisive end to this tournament, then left everyone else to battle for loose change.

It proved to be some serious money.

Ridings was 190th on the money list just one month ago, then finished off his 64 with a 12-foot birdie. He tied for 11th to make $120,000, enough to finish No. 125 and knock out Paul Azinger.

Perry walked into the press room after his round and said, "Help me out, here," as he tried to figure out if he made it to the Tour Championship. He made it for the fourth straight year, while Carlos Franco finished No. 30 despite closing with an 82.

The real drama involved the Masters. Sindelar looked like a lock to finish at No. 40. But then Parnevik holed an 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th to move into third place alone. Then, Armour missed a 3-footer for par that gave the Swede an extra $100,000.

No one faced an emotional ride quite like Brehaut.

He was No. 152 on the money list when he arrived at Innisbrook for his 11th consecutive tournament, desperate to at least get into the top 150. Brehaut thought he blew it with a three-putt bogey on No. 17.

"I just choked," he said.

But he hit 9-iron into 4 feet above the hole, a dangerous putt that slides sharply to the right.

"I told myself, 'Just make your best stroke, just make your best stroke,"' Brehaut said. It dropped in the center of the cup, and he dropped his arms to his side and pumped his fist.

Next up for Brehaut is Q-school in the California desert, golf's biggest pressure-cooker.

"More of this," Brehaut said with a smile. "At least I get some rest."

There is no rest for Singh.

This was his sixth victory in his last eight starts, and he goes to East Lake with a chance to join Nelson (1945), Hogan (1946, 1948) and Snead (1950) as the only players with at least 10 victories in one season.

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