Singh to miss next four Tour events due to knee surgery

KAPALUA, Hawaii (Reuters) - World number five Vijay Singh will compete in this week's Mercedes-Benz Championship before having knee surgery on Wednesday and missing the next four events on the PGA Tour.

The Fijian tore his meniscus before winning last month's Chevron World Challenge, the tournament in California hosted by Tiger Woods, and was advised to have it surgically repaired.

"It had to be done," Singh, 45, told reporters on the eve of Thursday's opening round at the Kapalua Resort. "It's quite a big tear there.

"It happened during Tiger's tournament, I think going up and down those hills," he added, referring to the undulating Sherwood Country Club layout at Thousand Oaks.

"Either it happened that week or it just got worse that week, but it's feeling okay now."

Singh competed in Wednesday's pro-am on the hilly par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua but rode in a golf cart for the entire round.

"It doesn't hurt much until I start walking, and it only hurts when I walk downhill," the three-times major winner said. "I'm going to have deal with that."

TOUR RETURN

Singh, the highest-ranked player in this week's elite field of 33, hopes to be back on the PGA Tour for the February 12-15 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

"I'm going to have the knee operated on Wednesday and I should be out for three weeks," he said. "I am planning to play (in the) AT&T but I don't know what the doctor is going to tell me.

"He said my legs are really strong, which is a big advantage, having an operation like that. So I should be all right. It's arthroscopic. It's not that complicated."

Known for his workaholic approach to the game and rigorous fitness regime, Singh said he would still be able to spend time in the gym.

"My upper body is okay, as long as I don't move," he added.

A 34-times champion on the PGA Tour, Singh won the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship in 2007.

(Editing by Nick Mulvenney)