Revived Singh is eager to launch his U.S. Open assault

Vijay Singh has spent much of the last year down in the dumps about the state of his golf game, but his victory on Sunday in the Barclays Classic has changed his outlook. If he can keep his head straight this week, he says, he should be a big factor.

MAMARONECK, N.Y. (PA) -- Vijay Singh has high hopes for this week's U.S. Open after ending 11 months without a win in the final warm-up event last week.

"This gives me a lot of confidence. This gives me the feeling, 'if you get into contention, I can finish it off,' " said the 43-year-old Fijian, who captured the Barclays Classic by two shots over Australian Adam Scott. "It makes people think that once they see my name up there, I'm back -- so look out!

"I'm going to be a factor if I play like I did [at the Barclays]," he added. "If I keep my head straight, I think I'll be a big factor."

All last week, people were comparing Westchester Country Club, the site of the Barclays Classic, to nearby Winged Foot, where the second major of the year starts on Thursday. By keeping a bogey off his card in the windy final round, Singh sent a message, and the key to it, he believes, was a lighter attitude.

"Bad shots had started to bother me more than ever, little things. I was very angry with my caddie for even talking to me at the wrong time," he said. "This week I had a different mindset -- just go out there and enjoy."

With finishes of third, third, fourth and second in his last four PGA Tour starts, Scott ought to be a contender later this week, too. But the closing stretch of the Barclays Classic will be troubling the 25-year-old.

After chipping in for birdie at the 11th to lead by one, Scott bogeyed the 13th, three-putted from only four feet on the next and then double-bogeyed the 16th. It gave Singh an easy run to the line and Scott's birdie-eagle finish came when he knew he had no chance.