Off the tee: Singh works hard for his cash

With his third US PGA tour victory at the weekend, Vijay Singh has moved to the top of the money list with US$5,702,507 ($9,762,400) for the season.

American Davis Love is second with US$5,504,846 and compatriot Tiger Woods third with US$5,228,746.

Singh's standing is a tribute to his work ethic. Throughout his career he has been known as the last man off the practice range and he plays more tournaments than most top golfers.

The tall Fijian's earnings this season have come from 23 tournaments, compared with Love's 18 and Woods' 15.

Playing a lot can certainly boost your earnings, but that is never enough and a study of the extensive statistics shows some of Singh's strengths and weaknesses.

He has always been long off the tee and he rates seventh in that category with an average of around 275m. Accuracy can be a problem and he rates 133rd.

He hits 69.3 per cent of greens in regulation, a statistic which is more impressive when you consider that is 1061 greens out of a possible 1530.

Singh has never been known as the most consistent of putters and he has used a variety of styles. This season has been one of his best and he rates 22nd in putting average.

More importantly, he has a 35.3 per cent birdie conversion, bettered only by Woods' 36 per cent.

One of the most telling statistics is the scoring average. Woods heads the list with 68.28 followed by Masters winner Mike Weir (68.77) and Singh (68.78). And Singh has played 30 more rounds than Woods.

The statistics throw up some interesting names. The dominant driver is 28-year-old Texan Hank Kuehne with an average of 292m over 53 rounds. Second is John Daly with 288m. Woods is 11th with 274m.

Kuehne received a sponsor's invitation to play in the Bell South tournament and responded by finishing third. He went one better at Houston and promptly was awarded special PGA membership for the rest of the season.

With a longest drive for the season of 352m, he has won US$831,800 and seems assured of a full tour membership next season.

By comparison, Daly was the longest driver last year with an average of 280m.

Longest on the European tour is South African Titch Moore with 290m. Annika Sorenstam averages 249m.

The most accurate driver is Fred Funk, who has hit 1029 out of a possible 1300 fairways and earned almost US$2 million.

Australian Aaron Baddeley needs only 27.73 putts a round, Justin Leonard has the best putting average and Paul Stankowski will get up and down from the sand 63.6 per cent of the time.

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Honours were shared in the annual Battle of the Bridge clash between North Harbour and Auckland at Manukau.

The North Harbour women dominated their section, winning the juniors 5 1/2-2 1/2, the masters 5 1/2- 2 1/2 and the seniors 11-5.

Auckland were just as strong in the men's categories, winning the under-19 4 1/2- 3 1/2, the under-23 7 1/2- 1/2, the masters 6-2 and the seniors 11-9.

North Harbour No 1 Stacey Tate, recently selected for the Commonwealth Women's tournament at Remuera in November, beat Brigit Holford but lost to Jessica Park.

National junior representative Kevin Chun, playing at No 1 for Auckland, halved with former national champion Chris Johns and beat Josh Carmichael.

Making his debut for Auckland at No 5, former Eisenhower player Richard Hislop won both his matches.

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Former national representative Anita Boon is in hospital after being injured while working on a golf course in southern England.

Boon, the North Harbour No 1 when they won the interprovincial title last year, received back injuries in a machinery accident.

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Thirteen-year-old Hawaiian Michelle Wie is taking on the men this weekend in the Boise Open in Idaho, a tournament on the second-level Nationwide Tour.

Wie has already played a tournament on the men's Canadian tour.