Vijay Singh at 63: Play Sensible at the Simmons Bank Championship

This week the PGA Tour Champions comes to Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock, and one of the players to watch is 63 years old. Vijay Singh won the SAS Championship less than two weeks ago. Asked about his plan for this course, he kept it beautifully simple: "You've got to play sensible here and keep the ball in play and give yourself chances for birdies." That's a first-nine plan, too.

Tour week: a Hall of Famer who keeps it simple

On October 18 in Cary, North Carolina, Singh shot 69 in all three rounds to win the SAS Championship by two shots over Ernie Els. It was his sixth win on the 50-and-over tour and his first in about three years. He closed with six straight pars. No heroics, just steady golf when it counted.

After a practice session at Pleasant Valley on Monday, he laughed about his age. "Every morning when I wake up, I feel like I'm 100," he said. Then he explained how he keeps going: "Work doesn't mean you just go and hit a thousand balls. It's keeping your body in good shape." He does the little things so he doesn't "feel bad when you come to the golf course."

The Simmons Bank Championship runs Friday through Sunday in Little Rock.

Your first-nine lesson: sensible golf is good golf

"Play sensible" sounds plain. It's actually the secret most beginners skip.

Keep the ball in play. On a par-3 nine, the middle of the green is the best target on almost every hole. Missing the flag but staying on the grass beats a perfect shot that might find water. Our par-3 nine guide walks through it hole by hole.
Pick the club that keeps you safe. With The First 9 Method (a putter, a 52° and a 56° plus an alignment stick), choose the wedge that gets you to the front of the green, not the one you need a perfect swing to pull off.
Pars are a gift, not a requirement. Singh won with six pars in a row. On your first nine, a steady bogey is a fine day. Give yourself chances, and let a good one drop when it comes.
Warm up your body, not just your swing. You don't need a big bucket of balls. A few minutes of loosening up does more. Our warm-up guide has a short routine.

One sensible shot at a time. The next one is all that matters.

Vijay Singh at 63: Play Sensible, Keep It in Play

Tour week: a Hall of Famer who keeps it simple

Your first-nine lesson: sensible golf is good golf

More Simmons Bank Championship week stories

Sources