Some days, Vijay Singh looks as if he has just escaped from a couple of hours napping on a rocking chair on the porch.

He'll walk down the range with that hang-dog look of his, sometimes wearing a cardigan, more often than not stopping to give advice to one of those fellow-professionals who always use him as a listening ear. For, despite the popular perception of him being something of a loner on tour, Singh has accumulated a wide circle of friends, almost close to devotees.

If someone needs a quick fix to their swing, invariably Singh will be first to offer advice. These acquaintances are commonly known as FOVs - Followers of Vijay - and are a varied lot, from fellow-major winners Ernie Els and Nick Price to Arjun Atwal, a US Tour rookie who cut his teeth - like Singh - on the Asian Tour and then the European Tour.

For the past six years, Singh has never failed to finish outside the top-five on the US Tour order of merit and, inside, there remains a burning desire, a motivation - even at the age of 41 - to be the best.

Yesterday, Tim Finchem, the head honcho of the PGA Tour, presented the Arnold Palmer Trophy to Singh for his endeavours last year, when he topped the money list and won four times in America along the way.

But it bugged Singh that he didn't win the Player of the Year Award (that went to Tiger Woods, again) and, even now, there are times when it seems as if he has to prove himself time and time again.

If he can become the world's number one, he'll have done that. How important is it for him to achieve that distinction?

"I guess it's very important. I mean for myself, nobody else but myself. I'd like to hit the top spot, if I can. It's not an easy task. Just to stay in the top-10 you've got to maintain your standard of play . . . but the number of tournaments I play, my average doesn't do me any favours. But I'm going to try, (and) I think this year I have got a very good chance to do that. I am playing well. I feel good about my game. I'm looking forward to the majors and I'm ready for this week."

Singh knows what he wants, and always has done. His past has included such black marks, such as getting suspended from the Asian Tour some 20 years ago for allegedly changing a score on his card (he has always maintained he was set up) and, more recently, a comment last year about Annika Sorenstam competing in the Colonial tournament on the US Tour.

But nobody can dispute his work ethic, or where he has taken himself. He grew up in Fiji, a descendent of Indian immigrants who went to work the island's cane fields between 1879 and 1916, and was pretty much a second-class citizen. But he dedicated himself to golf to such an extent that he has risen to world number two and achieved celebrity status. He has a mansion here in Ponte Vedre, where this week's $7.5 million Players' Championship (the biggest purse in golf) takes place.

There are those, among them Hank Kuehne, who think he is the perfect role model. On Monday night, he had "about 100" people over for "a get together, I have a lot of friends", he said.

If anyone knows the course here at Sawgrass, it's Singh. On his days away from tournament play, he can be found on the range for up to five hours at a time, maybe more if there is something he is specifically working on. On other times, he will jump into a cart and head out to play some holes, maybe the 14th, or the 17th.

"I've never actually stood on the 17th in practice and seen anything else but the green, the water is not there . . . but, during the tournament, the green just shrinks. It's the pressure to put it in the middle of the green. It's got a lot to do with the mind, just a very intimidating hole to play."

The Players' is a title that has evaded his grasp.

Indeed, since making his debut in 1993, he secured only one top-10 in eight appearances, until he took the runner-up position in 2001.

Then, he missed the cut in 2002, and again last year failed to make it to the weekend.

"I think I've put too much pressure on myself. I know where to hit the ball and which way it breaks . . . I think I took everything for granted and put too much pressure on myself.

"But this time I am going to take it as it comes. I'm going to go out there and enjoy myself, and the attitude is, 'I can't do any worse than last year'."

(all times Irish, US unless stated)

FIRST ROUND

First tee

12.30 - S Appleby (Aus), S Micheel, N Price (Zim)

12.50 - T Woods, J Huston, C Riley

1.30 - C Parry (Aus), B Faxon, D Clarke (Ire)

5.25 - E Els (RSA), B Tway, JM Olazabal (Spa)

10th tee

1.0 - P Mickelson, C Stadler, R Sabbatini (RSA)

5.25 - V Singh (Fij), G Sauers, L Janzen

6.05 - R Goosen (RSA), F Couples, J Haas

6.25 - H Frazar, A Baddeley (Aus), P Harrington (Ire)

6.35 - S Lowery, I Poulter (Eng), C Montgomerie (Sco).