How many 62-year-olds can break 70 three times in a PGA Tour week? In the past 20 years, the answer is four instances across three players—and Vijay Singh just added his name to that list.

The Fijian closed the 2026 Sony Open with a final-round 69, capping a 68-70-68-69 performance at Waialae Country Club that placed him T39 at 5-under. The finish won’t make highlight reels. But the statistical company that it earns him, rewrites assumptions about aging in professional golf. Golf statistician Justin Ray captured the rarity on X:

“Vijay Singh closed the Sony Open with a round of 69. Players to break 70 three times in a week on the PGA Tour at age 62 or older, last 20 years: 2013 Tom Watson, Greenbrier. 2014 Tom Watson, Greenbrier. 2020 Bernhard Langer, RBC Heritage. 2026 Vijay Singh, Sony Open.”

The metric cuts deeper than nostalgia. Breaking 70 once at 62 requires a good day. Breaking it three times across 72 holes demands sustained ball-striking, physical endurance, and course management that outlasts fatigue. Watson was 63 and 64 during his Greenbrier entries. Langer was 62 at Harbour Town. Singh matched that standard—not through ceremonial cameo, but through four rounds of execution against a full PGA Tour field where missed cuts eliminate the merely competent.

The numbers demand further context. Singh hadn’t started a full-field PGA Tour event since the 2021 Honda Classic. His entry came via the Career Money Exemption—a one-time privilege reserved for players ranked in the top 50 on the all-time earnings list. Singh sits sixth with $71.2 million. This wasn’t a sponsor invite. Decades of dominance purchased this opportunity.

Critics questioned his presence before the tournament began. Some labeled the exemption outdated; others called his entry hypocritical, given the Tour’s recent reduction to 100 exempt cards. Singh answered with his clubs. His weekend rounds of 68-69 arrived precisely when physical attrition typically claims senior players. Most exemption recipients fade after 36 holes. Singh accelerated.

The contrast with golf’s other longevity symbol sharpens the portrait. Phil Mickelson won the 2021 PGA Championship at 50, became the oldest major champion in history, and remains the public face of competitive endurance. In 2025, Mickelson finished 24th in LIV Golf’s season standings with three top-10 results across 13 events. His presence commands attention. Singh’s presence commanded scorecards. At 62, one traded on visibility; the other passed a physical test most contemporaries abandoned years ago.

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Why Vijay Singh’s Sony Open feat happened at Waialae

Not every course would permit this. Waialae Country Club—flat, wind-exposed, and precision-based—neutralizes the power game that dominates modern professional golf. Distance matters less than discipline. Course memory matters more than raw speed.

Singh won here in 2005, edging Ernie Els by a stroke with a closing 65 that included a 300-yard drive on the 18th to set up the winning birdie. That season launched a four-win campaign during an era when Singh captured 17 victories across three years. Two decades later, the same layout rewarded the same attributes: precision, patience, and institutional knowledge of every wind angle and green contour.

The pattern extends beyond Singh. Watson’s Greenbrier feats came at Old White TPC, a par-70 design that favors shot-shaping over brute force. Langer’s 2020 performance arrived at Harbour Town Golf Links, another precision-first venue where iron play outweighs driving distance. All three players—all three feats—occurred on courses built for architects, not bombers.

Vision ages better than velocity. Course management outlasts clubhead speed. Singh’s weekend at Waialae validated what the record books now confirm: elite ball-striking carries no expiration date when the venue demands it.

The exemption earned him entry. The performance earned him history.