Associated Press

Florida, March 22:

Vijay Singh spent two years pursuing his goal of being No 1 in the world, finally reaching the top thanks to hard work and 11 victories in 22 months on the US PGA Tour. Returning to the top the second time around wasn’t nearly as meaningful. As he walked off the 18th green at the Bay Hill Invitational, where the wrong club at the wrong time cost him a chance to win for the second straight week, Singh didn’t even realise he had replaced Tiger Woods at No 1.

Nor did he care. “I didn’t think I got it back, did I?” he said. “Well, big deal. I lost the tournament.” Even during his first reign that lasted 26 weeks, it didn’t take Singh long to realize that No 1 is just a number. More important are the trophies, especially green jackets and claret jugs. He earned it the first time around by going head-to-head with Woods in the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship. Tied for the lead with five holes to play, Singh held him off and won by three, ending Woods’ five-year run at the top.

Singh returned to No 1 in the world on Sunday under entirely different circumstances — he hit a 7-iron into the water on the final hole at Bay Hill to make double bogey and finish two shots behind Kenny Perry. No wonder Singh cared so little about a title that once meant so much. “It’s all about winning,” Woods said. “I’m sure he (Singh) feels the same way. If you win a bunch of tournaments each and every year, the rankings will follow.” The battle for No 1 probably will continue the rest of the year, certainly for the next month. Woods has been No 1 longer than anyone, 336 weeks, since the world rankings began in 1986, and he can get it back this week at The Players Championship. So can Ernie Els, who hasn’t been No 1 since 1998. By the end of the year, Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen might have a chance to reach the pinnacle. Chances are, it will be more meaningful at that point to them than to Singh or Woods. Mickelson is the best player to have never been No 1 in the world, with 25 victories and a major title last year at the US Masters.