Vijay Singh has pulled out of the Masters just days before the tournament, ending his remarkable 31-year streak at Augusta National.
The 62-year-old former champion cited injury as the reason for his withdrawal on Monday, though he didn’t specify what was wrong.
It’s a tough break for Singh, who’s been a fixture at Augusta since his debut back in 1994. He’d played in every Masters tournament since then – that’s more than three decades of competing in golf’s most prestigious event.
The Fijian star knows what it’s like to wear the famous Green Jacket. He won it all back in 2000, beating Ernie Els by three shots.
That victory came during Singh’s peak years at Augusta, when he was practically unstoppable. He finished in the top eight an impressive six times in seven years.
Even at 61, he showed last year he could still hang with the younger guys, making the cut and finishing tied for 58th place.
What makes the timing especially interesting is that Singh just competed over the weekend. He finished T18 at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational, where another Masters champ, Angel Cabrera (2009), took home the trophy.
With Singh’s withdrawal, the Masters field now stands at 95 players. He joins 16 other past champions sitting out this year’s tournament – including Tiger Woods.
The most surprising part? Singh had actually qualified and was set for his 32nd Masters appearance. But sometimes the body just says no, even for the toughest competitors in golf.
