Vijay Singh: Another chance to rise in the 2012 Sony Open
Vijay Singh, a legendary golf player from Fiji, will be teeing off in the 2012 Sony Open at Waialae Country Club, on January 12, 2012. The 48-year-old veteran has not been able to win the Sony Open since his victory in the 2005 event.
Vijay, who won a total of 58 events in his successful career, has not been able to record a win since his victory in the 2008 Deutsche Bank Championship.
A number of experts believe that his career has now come to an end and he will not be able to compete against young stars emerging on the golf scene.
He has, no doubt, outclassed his opponents in most of the events that he participated in. However, he has now fallen from grace and has been struggling to find his lost form for the past four years.
Although out of form these days, Vijay used to strike fear into his rivals with his outstanding putting skills and powerful swings.
His playing style and technique was so popular among his peers that many young golfers copied him in an effort to improve their game.
Now, Vijay himself is trying to bolster his slumping performance, working on different techniques so that he can start winning again.
Although Vijay has vowed to win the 2012 Sony Open, he is not considered a favorite for the event. According to some analysts, finishing in the top-10 will be hard for him.
The reason is obviously his recent form. He managed to record only five top-10 finishes in the 25 events that he played in the 2011 PGA Tour season. Moreover, he also missed cuts in eight events.
So, keeping in view his deteriorating game, one wonders if he really was the king of golf at some point.
He remained at the No. 1 position in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks consecutively, in the 2004 and 2005 golf seasons. He is now ranked 66th in world rankings.
Given his declining performances in the recent years, some of his fans still believe that he can make a comeback in the sport. Moreover, he is not that old to quit his career.
It can be just a bad patch in his career just like Padraig Harrington, who failed to perform in the early late ‘90s before making a strong comeback in his professional career in 2000.
Vijay only needs to work a little harder on his playing technique and his fitness. Doing so, will allow him to remain in contention with his opponents in the tournaments he plays.
The 2012 Sony Open will provide him a good chance to make a good start to his 2012 PGA Tour season and end his long winless streak.
He has the ability to hold his nerves in pressure and improvise according to the requirements of the field he plays in.
Before his downfall, he never panicked, even under pressure, and always tried to overcome the difficulties he faced.
Therefore, he can do the same in the upcoming event, in which he was seen at his best in 2005.
He can prove to his critics that even though he is not regarded as a favourite to win this tournament, he can still outclass his opponents. Yet, if he does not bounce back, his chances to remain in the sport will die.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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