Golf/World number one: When Vijay Singh became the world number one on Monday, displacing Tiger Woods after a record 264 weeks, it was just reward for an outstanding season.

His victory in the Deutsche Bank tournament in Boston was his sixth in a year that includes a major, the US PGA Championship. He is now a certainty for another honour that has previously been hogged by Woods, the US Tour's Player of the Year.

Radio stations in Fiji have been flooded with calls from well-wishers and former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka was among the first to congratulate Singh after news of the 41-year-old's triumph reached the South Pacific nation of some 800,000 people.

"I think we should all be very proud of Vijay, but he has made personal sacrifices, he has worked very hard to get the number one spot," Rabuka, a keen golfer and former president of the Fiji Professional Golfers Association, said. "We congratulate him, his wife and son. Vijay has done us proud."

Singh has realised a childhood dream in becoming number one, his brother Krishna said. "I feel so happy for my brother and what he has achieved.

"When we were young and since Vijay started to realise he had some exceptional talents in golf, he had wanted to reach that level, to be the number one in the world. He has achieved that and good on him. He did it for himself, his family and for Fiji."

The Fijian becomes the 12th number one in the 962 weeks that the rankings have been in existence and the world top 10 now reads: Singh, Woods, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Retief Goosen, Mike Weir, Padraig Harrington, Adam Scott and Jim Furyk.

Singh had only to finish ahead of Woods at the TPC course to head him in the rankings and at one point in the final round Woods was level with him. But Singh eventually won by three, with Scott sharing second place with Woods.

"It wasn't about the world ranking; it wasn't about going out there and trying to beat Tiger, the world number one, it was about trying to win the golf tournament," said Singh.

"Earlier in the season I felt close to Tiger and now I feel I'm the best in the world. But I feel that all the time.

"Tiger's a very intimidating player. He hits shots most people can't hit and you think, wow, that's the way all of us should play.

"In fact, if you're playing against him and he's playing great and you're not playing well you're going to look an idiot.

"Playing with him is intense and he's going to let you know that. So you just have to go out there and play your own game. You know, the way I played on Sunday and Saturday, I pretty much can't play better than that and that's how I want to play all the time."

Asked what he would look back on, the major, the number one ranking or the six victories, Singh said: "You've got to look at the whole thing and it's been a great season. It's going to be a hard one to follow, that's for sure."

Woods was in upbeat mood despite being deposed as world number one.

"I think it's just exciting to finally put the pieces together in my golf swing," Woods said.

"All summer long, I've been slowly but surely putting them together, and this week was the culmination of it all. I really hit it good this week and didn't quite make all of the putts, made a few bad shots here and there, but nothing like (last month's) NEC Invitational (in Akron, Ohio) where I hit it off the planet."

"I've had a good run and (being number two) isn't too bad, is it?" said Woods, trying to hide his disappointment.