Vijay Has A Supporter!

My Golf World colleague Tim Rosaforte, responding to the criticism of Vijay for no-showing to Monday's U.S. Open Sectional qualifier in Columbus, writes in this week's issue that "it's understandable and excusable that the 48-year-old Hall-of-Famer didn't want to participate in the exhausting 36-hole process of U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying."

Even though Vijay received an exemption last year and even though he entered this year, Rosie the reasoner believes that Singh's fatigue with shooting 71 or 72 every day and needing to recharge the batteries was A-okay.

I'm good with that. Vijay is not required to play. 

What I think most of us have a problem with is not phoning in a WD when he knew after his final round 65 that he had no intention of playing.

Comments

[Kelpie]

Is it just me, or is Rose colored glasses the unofficial apologista for every guy with a Tour card? What VJ did was classless. Call it like it is.

[Mulligan]

Access

[Used to be Former S&T Convert]

WD all day long -no problem- these guys are independent contractors. No show is a chicken $h1t move that shows a complete lack of respect for the event. Let's all try to imagine Crenshaw not taking the time to make a call to WD.

[Jeremy]

Had he phoned in the WD would an alternate have been given his tee time?

[PJ]

I agree - he is not required to play. Also very much agree that letting others know would have been the right thing to do. It's about how the action is handled, not so much the action itself.

[NRH]

Has anybody in the Fourth Estate bothered to gather a quote on the record about this ordeal from Vijay's camp or the USGA? Of course not...it is much more sporting to speculate that the WD listed means OMG NOBODY KNEW, HE IS SO RUDE, GET ME FAR HILLS OR THE BROOKHAVEN PRO SHOP ON THE LINE, NONE OF THESE GUYS WATCH GOLF CHANNEL, THE OTHER 3 WHO ARE LISTED IN THE SAME FASHION ARE A-OKAY.

[OWGR Fan]

VJ knew well before his 65 Sunday or his 76 Saturday that he was not going to try and qualify. It was reported at least a week before the Memorial. Not calling in his WD is classless.

[Geoff]

NRH,
I'm not sure what quote you want? The people who filed the reports were at the Columbus qualifier. The AP and Golfweek know the difference between NS and WD.

The USGA will just call the local golf association and confirm he did not show. They are not going to issue a quote scolding him. And Vijay already made his case, he's tired of shooting 71s, is resting up and getting ready to win at Hartford. If he had been misrepresented in any press reports, I'm sure his agent would have let us known.

And the reason he is being picked on here is pretty obvious. He entered, he shot 65 on Sunday and he received a special exemption last year for no apparent reason and felt no obligation to show his thanks by entering this year. Tom Kite, meanwhile, did not receive one to Pebble last year, he continues to try to qualify. There's class and there's no class!

[AK47]

Couldn't agree more, classless. Dust off Tiger's "I felt I was entitled" speech from last year and have Vijay read it. As for Rosey, yes, as Mulligan says, he's guaranteeing access.

[Rob]

Just posted the no show question at Columbus on VJ's facebook page... lol

[Used to be Former S&T convert]

@NRH- My post on an earlier story is below. However Geoff is right - - VJ got a pass last year and should have at least some respect for the USGA. I remember clearly watching Arnie qualify in the 70's when he was no longer exempt.

"It ain't just about VJ, I would put Dean Wilson, Andres Romero, Joost Luten in the same "No Class" category.

Woodland, Molder and Volpenheim all had class enough to make a 2 minute courtesy phone call."