Fiji’’s Vijay Singh has become the youngest player to be elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame having topped the annual ballot.
A winner of three Major Championships and a further nine titles on The European Tour International Schedule and 22 titles on the US PGA Tour, Singh has won the US PGA Tour Money List for the past two years. In 2004 he became the first player to win more than $10 million in prize money following an outstanding season in which he won nine titles and became World Number One.
Singh, 42, who was made an Honorary Member of the European Tour in 2001, was elected by the PGA Tour/Champions Tour ballot voting body, comprising writers, historians and golf dignitaries from around the world. He will be inducted in November.
“On the heels of one of golf’’s finest single seasons, this is a richly deserved honor for Vijay and one he has dedicated his life to earning,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, who also serves as Chairman of the World Golf Foundation. “Adding World Golf Hall of Fame member to his résumé assures his rightful spot among the game’’s elite.”
Singh spent the eve of teh Shell Houston Open fielding congratulatory calls from fellow professionals and friends after it was announced on Wednesday that the Fijian had become the latest inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
"Things like that don't just sink in," he said. “It’’s an amazing honour to be considered and to be part of an incredible group that is the Hall of Fame. It's a great feeling to have, but I think in weeks and months from now, it's going to be a really big deal for me. People are going to look up to me. There are a few guys out there that are saying 'Hall of Famer', but things like this are going to happen more and more, although at the moment it hasn't sunk in."
