Rory Sabbatini and Vijay Singh drop down to a verbal bout over caddie issue
Rory Sabbatini and Vijay Singh, two of the big-mouthed players on the PGA Tour, fell for a verbal bout in the third round of the Sony Open in Hawaii after Singh reportedly hurled abuses at Sabbatini’s caddie for walking over his putt.
Both grizzled veterans on the tour having decades of playing experience on the tour, broke headlines on Saturday, January 14, when Sabbatini’s caddie, Mick Doran, recklessly walked over Singh’s line of putt.
Both players were paired in the same group and both have been lurking in obscurity for a considerably longer period of time, in attempts to break their winless streaks.
Singh was lining the sixth putt on the green at the scenic Waialae Country Club when Doran walked across and Singh shot back at Doran after missing the putt.
Sabbatini came to the rescue of his caddie, confronting Singh over the issue.
“The only thing I told Vijay is whatever he was saying to my caddie is inappropriate,” Sabbatini told The Times. “I was just sticking up for my caddie, who doesn’t deserve to be talked to in that manner”.
Singh later stated that the matter is over now but Sabbatini insisted that the Fijian should settle the matter with his caddie.
“I feel that Vijay definitely needs to approach my caddie and resolve the situation,” Sabbatini added.
Doran has made the headlines for the second time in the month after he failed to appear at the tee-time for the second round of Hyundai Tournament of Champions, causing a two-stroke penalty for Sabbatini.
Regardless of Doran’s reckless behaviour, Singh also comes with a long list of controversies in his almost three decade long career.
The three-major-winner Fijian who plays on sponsor’s exemption for the moment, also stirred up a reasonable controversy when he objected to Annika Sörenstam’s appearance in Bank of America Colonial in 2003 and said,
"I hope she misses the cut ... because she doesn't belong out here".
Singh’s comments received considerable “bad media” when Golf Digest went to the extent of calling him "pro golf's bad guy".
Later, the same reporter who wrote the story accepted that the story he published was fractured and out of context.
Sabbatini and Singh finished for yet another unimpressive position on the leaderboard with joint 29th and joint 46th, respectively.
Sabbatini scored rounds of 67, 71, 68 and 69 while Singh pulled in rounds of 71, 67, 71 and 68.
Singh originally hails from India and was nominated the Goodwill ambassador of Fiji in the year 2005.
He won the coveted Masters in 2000 and went over to card two victories at the PGA Championship in 1998 and 2004.
Singh surged to the top of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) during 2004-2005 season and has remained there for 32 consecutive weeks. The 48-year-old Singh will soon be heading for Champions Tour membership after he hits 50.
Tags: