Major champion suffers shock caddie split before ending winless drought

Vijay Singh’s return to the winner’s circle came after an unexpected split with his caddie threatened to disrupt his week at the PGA Tour Champions’ SAS Championship.

The three-time major champion revealed that his regular caddie had “fired” him just days before the tournament, forcing him to make a late change ahead of his eventual two-shot victory over Ernie Els.

Singh turned to familiar face Wayne De Haas, a former playing partner on the bag, and the reunion could hardly have worked out better.

The 63-year-old closed with a 69 at Prestonwood Country Club on Sunday to secure his first victory in more than three years, bringing an end to a frustrating spell without a tournament win.

But the story behind the triumph began on Tuesday, when Singh’s previous caddie decided to call time on their partnership.

Speaking after Saturday’s third round, Singh admitted he had perhaps been putting too much pressure on his former bagman.

“Well, my caddie fired me this Tuesday. I think I was a little — I was getting onto him too much,” Singh said.

Fortunately, De Haas was available. Having recently lost his job as a Korn Ferry Tour caddie, he accepted Singh’s call and stepped in just before the tournament began.

The pair had worked together previously, meaning Singh could return to competition alongside someone who already understood his game.

“It’s good to have Wayne back. We worked together for a while. Just comfortable,” Singh added.

“Get on the tee, you don’t have to think about too much. And he’s doing most of the thinking, you just have to hit it.”

That familiarity proved invaluable as Singh navigated his way to victory, with Els finishing two shots behind after the closing round.

Singh revealed after the win that the timing of their reunion had been a remarkable coincidence, with both men suddenly finding themselves without their previous working arrangements.

“All a coincidence. [De Haas] lost his job on the Korn Ferry and my caddie fired me this week, and I just called up Wayne and I said, ‘Hey, are you ready?’ He said, ‘Yeah,’” Singh explained.

The Fijian was particularly pleased to have someone alongside him who understood what he needed on the course.

“It was so much easier to play golf with somebody really knowing what they’re doing,” he said.

However, Singh was also keen to point out that the victory was about more than a change of caddie.

The former World No.1 credited a renewed commitment to practice after admitting he had become complacent with his preparation.

“I think I kind of rededicated myself a little bit. I have been very lazy practising,” Singh said.

“I’ve been working out, but I haven’t been practising very much. So I think I have to start doing that, which I started doing again and I think that’s why I won today.”

Singh boasts 34 PGA Tour victories and three major titles, while Sunday’s triumph marked his sixth win on the PGA Tour Champions.

His victory also provided a timely boost ahead of the three-event Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, lifting him to 33rd in the standings.

After a short-lived attempt to return to the PGA Tour earlier in 2026, Singh has now given himself fresh momentum on the senior circuit.

And while the late caddie switch made for an intriguing subplot, the Hall of Famer will hope the winning formula continues as he looks to build on a long-awaited return to the top of the leaderboard.