Singh to have surgery

The world No 5 Vijay Singh will compete in the Mercedes-Benz Championship, which started last night in Hawaii, before having knee surgery next Wednesday and missing the next four events on the PGA Tour. The Fijian tore his meniscus before winning last month's Chevron World Challenge, which is the event hosted by Tiger Woods in California, and was advised to have it surgically repaired.

"It had to be done," Singh, 45, said ahead of the event in the Kapalua Resort. "It's quite a big tear there. "It happened during Tiger's tournament. Either it happened that week or it just got worse that week, but it's feeling OK now." Singh competed in Wednesday's pro-am on the hilly par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua, but rode in a golf cart for the entire round. "It doesn't hurt much until I start walking, and it only hurts when I walk downhill," the three-times major winner said. "I'm going to have deal with that."

Singh hopes to be back on the PGA Tour for the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am next month. "I'm going to have the knee operated on on Wednesday and I should be out for three weeks," he said. "I am planning to play in the AT&T but I don't know what the doctor is going to tell me. "He said my legs are really strong, which is a big advantage, having an operation like that. So I should be all right. It's arthroscopic. It's not that complicated."

Known for his workaholic approach to the game and rigorous fitness regime, Singh said he would still be able to spend time in the gym. "My upper body is OK, as long as I don't move," he added. * Reuters