Singh looks for title boost at Waialae

Honolulu - Fresh from victory at the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship in Maui, Vijay Singh is in a relaxed mood for this week's Sony Open.

The 43-year-old Fijian has always enjoyed being on the Hawaiian islands and feels he needs to fire himself up for Thursday's first round at Waialae Country Club.

"It's actually more tiring the second or third day after you've won, because you went through so strong and the focus is so high," Singh told reporters after Wednesday's pro-am tournament.

"You're coming from such a high to almost a low. Especially in Hawaii, where everything is so low-key, it takes a day to recover from that.

"I didn't feel that energised yesterday when I came over here. I need to pick myself up and get myself fired up again."

World number five Singh, who clinched his 30th PGA Tour title by two shots at Kapalua's Plantation Course on Sunday, should have little trouble lifting his spirits at Waialae.

Champion here in 2005, he has produced top-10 finishes in his last three Sony Open appearances.

"I love the air over here," the three-times major winner said. "It's island air with a very calming effect. I don't have any hassles, I'm not in a hurry.

"I was here two weeks before the tournament (in Kapalua). Probably that did more good than anything else.

"Just focusing so hard and practising too hard, you forget to live life a little bit. I came to Hawaii, it was more relaxed, and I did my work, but it was in a very low-key way."

Singh, who ended Tiger Woods's five-year reign as world No 1 in September 2004 before ending that season with a remarkable haul of nine victories, expects a low-scoring week at Waialae.

"There is more rough here than last year, and definitely that will be a factor," he said.

"But the greens are stopping and it's going to get a lot bumpier because you can chew them up pretty easily.

"I think, at the end of the day, it will probably play one or two shots easier than past years."

American David Toms, who eased to a five-shot victory at last year's Sony Open with a four-round total of 19-under 261, agrees.

"The course is not as fast as last year and the greens are not rolling out as much, they are receptive," he said of the par-70, 7 060-yard layout.

"It's easier to hit the fairways than last year, being not as firm, and the greens are pretty receptive. There will be some good scores."

Toms, who fired a course-record 61 in last year's third round, is in upbeat mood for his title defence after shooting a best-of-the-week 67 at Kapalua on Sunday.

"I just started to get my rhythm last week a little better and played good again today in the pro-am," he said.

"So I look forward to giving it a shot this week.

"It will still be all about making the putts. It always is here, getting the putter hot because you'll have a lot of opportunities if you're driving the ball well. We'll see how it goes."

Toms, a 12-times winner on the PGA Tour and Singh face a strong challenge in the first full-field event of the 2007 season.

Apart from Singh, three other members of the world's Top 10 are taking part - Jim Furyk, Luke Donald and US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy - and seven of the Top 20.