Vijay Singh‘s work ethic screams what an elite golfer’s routine looks like. Gym at 6:30 AM, range by 7:30, already drenched in sweat before most caddies finished their coffee. His former looper, Kip Henley, recalls the intensity: infinite hours of practice, brutal perfectionism that cut thin-skinned caddies to the bone.

“He was so hard to work for because he’s brutal,” Henley said. “I’m a thin-skinned guy. That’s the worst trait you can have as a PGA Tour caddie.”

The 65-year-old, who has caddied for Stewart Cink, Boo Weekley, Garrett Willis, and the like, recalled that Singh was tough on people he used to work with. The former Masters champion had a reputation for being too hard on his team, especially with his caddies. And that was a problem with Kip Henley.

Singh’s former looper, while speaking about his past stints with various pros, added, “I lasted 10 years with Brian Gay, because they weren’t mean, but he’s [Vijay Singh] mean. He cuts you to the bone every day.”

The comments once again brought Henley’s split with Vijay Singh into sharp focus. The 65-year-old started caddying for Singh in March 2017. It only lasted for a few months.

Henley was on the bag for Singh’s team victory with Carlos Franco at the 2017 Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf, where they shot a course-record 12-under. By May 2017, Henley quit.

There was no formal announcement. Only a mysterious tweet from Henley that said: “Life’s filled with tough decisions. I just made one an hour ago. I am seeking gainful employment. Please don’t ask for details.”

Henley, however, is far from the only caddie who revealed the tougher side of Vijay Singh, while also praising his work ethic and generosity outside the greens as well.

Chad Reynolds, Singh’s caddie between 2007-10, said in a previous interview, “Vijay is hitting balls for eight hours a day. We’d show up at 10. We never went inside for lunch. Lunch was always brought to us on the back of the range. We’d go from 10 to 6 on his off week, every day. Saturday, Sunday, didn’t matter.”

Henley has also seen Vijay Singh’s perfection firsthand. He would hit shot after shot onto the green with mechanical precision, never looking to see where they landed. Thirty straight balls without a thin or fat hit. Kip Henley said, “He’s an amazing guy; guys underestimate how good that cat was.”

The numbers back up the ball-striking brilliance. In 2004, Singh led the PGA Tour in scoring average, total birdies (484), par-4 scoring, par-5 scoring, and strokes gained off the tee. He finished second in greens in regulation at 73.03%. Sports Illustrated noted in 2003 that Singh “has been among the best—if not the best—ball strikers in the world for a long time.”

But of course, that came at a cost. For him and his team. Singh’s wife once joked that they had only four holidays a year: the Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship.

Paul Tesori, Vijay Singh’s caddie for two seasons, once revealed that he got a total of 24 days off in two years. “There wasn’t a whole lot of time for the rest of life,” Tesori told Golfweek in 2014. That’s not just because of the grueling practice, but also because of Singh’s insistence on forming a team with his caddie.

On tournament weeks, days would stretch to 10-12 hours. On off weeks, even more. On top of it, Singh also wanted to have dinner together with his loopers. That unwavering loyalty put Tesori in a spot.

“I lost a marriage over it. I wasn’t willing to change my job because I knew obviously it was the chance of a lifetime financially,” he said in the same Golfweek interview.

However, all his caddies also spoke glowingly about this dedication. And perhaps that dedication is what fueled him to make a comeback at the 2026 Sony Open.

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Vijay Singh returns at the Sony Open 2026

Vijay Singh made the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii at the age of 62. This was his second cut since 2021. Singh returned to full-field PGA Tour events after playing mostly on PGA Tour Champions since 2017. He used a one-time career money exemption for top-25 earners. His move to play in Hawaii was appreciated by Brendan Porath, who called it “awesome.”

On Thursday, Singh started with a two-under 68, even though he had two double bogeys. He then shot an even-par 70 on Friday to make the cut at one under. He made a 31-foot birdie on the fourth hole, showing that his touch was still sharp when his mind was in the right place.

Singh won the Sony Open in 2005, which was one of four wins that year. Going back to Waialae Country Club twenty years later was more than just a trip down memory lane. He had already made $75 million in his career, so this wasn’t about the money; it was about proving he could still compete.

The performance proved Singh’s choice was right. Keegan Bradley and Tony Finau both missed the cut, but the 62-year-old played steady golf for 36 holes. He was able to keep going into his 70s, when most of his peers retired, because he faced his putting demons and changed his mind. The workhorse keeps going.