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DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP MEDIA DAY

August 3, 2009

Vijay Singh

GREG BALL: Vijay, thank you for joining us here at our media day. We have a few questions for you and then we'll open it up to the media. To start, can you talk about how meaningful it was for you to win last year's Deutsche Bank Championship, especially after having won the first event, and also locking up the FedExCup title here?
VIJAY SINGH: I mean, it was obviously a great time for the win. I've always played well in Boston, like playing there, no matter what it is. Playing there and winning in front of the fans and knowing that winning the FedExCup after -- if I had won the Deutsche Bank I had pretty much wrapped up the FedExCup Championship. So that was big. And I just played well.
It's been a long time since I won two in a row, and that was a big confidence boost, as well.

Q. You really made things exciting here on Labor Day Monday, making a charge on the back nine that was sort of consistent with your solid play throughout August and September. You've won here at TPC Boston twice in the last five years. Is there something in particular about the golf course that really suits you or makes you comfortable here?
VIJAY SINGH: I don't know. I mean, when I first got there I did not like the golf course at all. I don't think many golfers did. But the changes they made, last year's golf course was just totally different conditions. I thought the redesign was great, incredible, and it kind of gives you good feelings to go out there and play. Pretty much a totally golf course than when we first got there.
Throughout the years I've played in TPC Boston, they've constantly changed the golf course for the better. Each year you come there's something new going on. Hopefully this year there's nothing. But I've just enjoyed playing there.
Like coming over this year, I've practiced really hard. I know my performances haven't been that great, but I'm looking forward to another good run. Look out for me when I come back there.

Q. You've played well of late, three top-10 finishes since early May. Could you just discuss a little bit the state of your game now and how you feel going into the month of August, about a month away from the Deutsche Bank Championship?
VIJAY SINGH: Well, I was very disappointed at the British. I thought I was in a very good shape the first two days and then the wind picked up. The left-to-right wind is not my favorite. My whole career I've hated left-to-right wind because I'm a fader of the ball. So I was not in a great position to compete on the weekend.
But my game was good, and I've taken two weeks off, I've really practiced hard, and physically I'm in good shape. My knee is pretty much 100 percent and there's no excuses there. So I'm just looking forward to going out there for the Bridgestone this week and then the PGA, and then I'm ready for the playoffs.
I think I'm going to have a strong finish here coming up these next few events.

Q. There's been some significant changes to the structure of the FedExCup point system and the playoffs for the season. With the points not resetting until before the TOUR Championship as opposed to previous years where they've reset before the first playoff event, a player won't really be able to wrap up the FedExCup title before the TOUR Championship like you did last year. Do you have any thoughts on the changes and maybe how it will affect how you play?
VIJAY SINGH: I don't think it's going to affect anything going into the playoffs. You know the rules, you know what you have to do. I think it will be more exciting.
Last year there was no definite set rules how they were going to do the points, it was all a trial-and-error thing. I think this year it's going to be the same thing. They're trying to get it to as close to being the most exciting format coming into the TOUR Championship. So this will be one of them. Anybody that gets into the TOUR Championship has a chance of winning.
I think it's going to be great. Whoever plays well in the last event is going to win. I think it's very fair, and I think it's going to be good.

Q. Obviously going into the playoffs I'm sure you'll be confident that you can win the FedExCup title again this year. But are there any other players that you feel are playing well and could be in contention for a title this time around?
VIJAY SINGH: You know, FedEx is a very different tournament. With Camilo winning the last two events last year he would have won. Anybody that's playing well is going to have a chance. Obviously Tiger is going to be a big factor there. I don't know how many tournaments he's going to play. I think everybody going into the FedEx is going to be all pumped up and fired up, and whoever is going to play well is going to -- I think anybody in the top 50 has got a great chance of winning the whole thing.

Q. Do you see a guy like Tom Watson who at 59 made such a good run at Turnberry a couple weeks ago and say, if he can do it at that late stage of his career I still have plenty of years in front of me and I can play for a long time out here?
VIJAY SINGH: A lot of people have asked me that, and I said, well, that's another little factor now. I'll be saying, gosh, I'll be playing until I'm 55, you know (laughing). But he's a great boost to all the guys, especially if you're in your 50s. Everybody has been talking about it. I think it's great for golf. It was a second wind to a lot of people that thought they were over the hill.
I think it's great. It was a sad way to see Tom not win it, but we've still got a good champion, and it was a good event for everybody.

Q. Now that we've had the FedExCup Series for a couple of years, how much do you think it's grown in the minds of the players? Is it something that they actually think about at the beginning of the year, something they're really shooting for, and how does it relate to other tournaments and other series?
VIJAY SINGH: You know, we don't really think about it when we start off the year. You kind of have a glance now and then and see where you stand on it. As long as you make the playoffs, that's what the guys worry about.
The guys that are not in it have more concern, but if you play half decent you get in it. It doesn't take away from the tournament itself. When we're going into the FedEx, the first guy priority is to win the golf tournament, and obviously once you do that, then the reshuffle comes in after the first three events. Once we get into the FedEx, everybody is going to be gearing up to play the TOUR Championship. That would be the final goal.
You know, guys are getting more and more excited as the time comes closer to the FedExCup. It's going to be big. I think it's going to be the most exciting year on the FedExCup than the previous two.

Q. Can you just talk about the state of your putting right now? Last year when you were here you were telling everybody that you were the greatest putter in the world and you certainly proved it for a few weeks there, and then also a little bit about the state of your knee right now.
VIJAY SINGH: The knee is perfect. My knee, I've been working out pretty hard and trying to rehab it and get it really strong. There's no issues with my knee.
My game is really good. My results don't show, but hopefully the next few events we will see the difference. I've worked very hard on my game, trying to just play now instead of worrying about the swing as much.
I think in the last few months I've been too concerned about my golf swing. Right now I'm just hitting balls and know where the ball is going instead of how my swing is going.
I'm putting well. I have a lot of confidence in my putting now, so it's the way I want it right now. My golf game is exactly where I'd like it to be. I just have to get my head and my golf swing on the same path, and I'll be all right.
GREG BALL: I think that should do it. Thanks so much for joining us. Of course good luck the rest of the month of August here, and we very much look forward to having you here on Labor Day weekend to defend your Deutsche Bank Championship title.
VIJAY SINGH: All right, well, have a good day today, and enjoy the golf course. See you guys in a few weeks' time.

End of FastScripts

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