Two-Time Winner Vijay Singh Extends PGA Championship Absence To Seven Years

Two-time winner, Vijay Singh withdrew from the 2025 PGA Championship late on Sunday, opting to miss the season's second men's Major in favor of a PGA Tour Champions event.

The 62-year-old was in the initial field at Quail Hollow Club but officially pulled out just four days before the first round and was replaced by Michael Thorbjornsen.

Singh had finished T65th at the PGA Tour Champions' Insperity Invitational a fortnight ago and later posted on Instagram to state he would next be in action at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Alabama between May 15-18.

After his four-over performance at The Woodlands CC, Singh said: “Rough start but found some momentum yesterday to finish the week strong @insperityinvitational. Looking forward to @regionstradition next.”

Singh - who claimed the Wanamaker Trophy in 1998 and 2004 - had failed to appear in either the PGA Championship, US Open or The Open since 2018 but had competed at The Masters every year since making his debut in 1994.

However, the Fijian was forced to bring his long-standing record of 31 consecutive starts at The Masters to an end earlier this year due to an injury.

Explaining his absence via an Instagram story at the time, the 2000 Masters winner said: “Saddened to miss @themasters on the 25th anniversary of my win, and after 31 consecutive years of competing. Sending my best to all of the players competing this week at Augusta.”

His latest high-profile tournament withdrawal - confirmed by the PGA Championship on Sunday, May 11 - follows in the footsteps of John Daly, who also pulled out of the PGA Championship recently and aired his frustration at the timing of the first PGA Tour Champions Major.

Daly, who famously won the PGA Championship in 1991 after being the final alternative, withdrew from the event at Valhalla in 2024 due to a thumb injury and was looking forward to competing on the biggest stage again while seeing some of his friends.

Speaking to AP News' Doug Ferguson, Daly said: “I can go there (PGA Championship) and miss the cut and get $6,000. (Instead) I’m playing Birmingham (Alabama).

"I love Regions. They’re a great sponsor, (but) why are they scheduling Regions the same week as the PGA Championship, where I can see Brooks (Koepka) and all the guys?”

Singh and Daly join Tiger Woods, Y.E. Yang, Davis Love III and Rich Beem among the list of former champions not in the 2025 PGA Championship field, with Woods still recovering from Achilles surgery and Beem admitting his lack of distance caused him a real problem at Valhalla last year.

Reflecting on his 20-over performance via scores of 79 and 83, the popular Sky Sports Golf reporter told Ferguson: "I got my (butt) handed to me last year (at Valhalla). Even though I had success at Bethpage (2019), you lose 10 yards, you might as well lose 100."

Beem later noted that he would like to play the PGA Championship in 2027 when it takes place at PGA Frisco near his home in Texas.