Vijay Singh, the 2007 champion of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, had more than a tough golf course and swirling winds to contend with in his opening round Thursday morning on the Champions Course at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
Vijay Singh, the 2007 champion of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, had more than a tough golf course and swirling winds to contend with in his opening round Thursday morning on the Champions Course at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
The former Masters champion is suffering from a lower back injury that struck him Tuesday morning, and he was far from 100 percent in struggling to a four-over-par 74. The injury is only the latest problem for Singh, who has played little so far this year and is trying to prepare for the year’s first major championship when his season already has been curtailed by injury.
“I can’t get a break. It’s crazy,” said Singh, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in January after the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship. “My knee is fine; it has not bothered me too much. I just need to walk some more. I’m getting better there, but my back is a mess now.”
Singh, age 46, opened with a double-bogey on the short par-four 10th hole and tried to play catch up all day before settling for a 74 – his second-highest opening round at Bay Hill and his worst score here since a closing 76 in 2004. In his 15 consecutive appearances starting in 1993, the talented Fijian has never missed the cut.
On Thursday, Singh appeared to be walking gingerly, and seldom did more than bend down slightly to read a putt. On one green, he started to bend his right knee to retrieve his ball from the hole, stopped, and then bent down with his left knee.
“He did look like he was hurting a little,” playing partner Ben Curtis said. “He was gutting it out.”
Singh, the reigning FedExCup champion, who has won 34 career titles on the PGA Tour, including three majors, has played in just five events this year leading up to his appearance at Bay Hill. He has not finished better than a tie for 17th, which came at the Accenture Match Play Championship.
“It’s a miracle that I’m here, really,” said Singh, who along with his 2007 victory has three runner-up finishes at Bay Hill. “My trainer did a great job, but it’s still not real good. It’s a shame, too, because I was hitting it beautifully on Monday. The golf swing was really good. This is very disappointing. I need to get some rounds under my belt before the Masters, and now I have this.”
-- Dave Shedloski