London, Sept 17: Vijay Singh has surged into contention for 2003 PGA Tour Player of the Year honours but the Fijian would prefer to concentrate on ending this season at the head of the US money list.
Twice major champion Singh swept to the top of the PGA Tour standings with earnings of 5,702,507 after pulling away from the field with a six-under-par 65 to win the rain-delayed John Deere Classic Monday.
''I've been asked so many times about Player of the Year,'' Singh, 40, told reporters at the TPC at Deere run. ''Again, I say that I'll have to think about that when the season is finished and see how it plays. ''Money list obviously is going to dictate if you're Player of the Year or not and my goal is to win the money list. Player of the Year is not up to me.

''I can play the best golf, but somebody has to choose who the Player of the Year is (the prestigious award is voted upon by the PGA Tour players).



''I can control the money list, but I cannot control the player of the year.



''My goal is to be the top of the money list, since I'm leading. But it wasn't in the beginning of the year, I just wanted to win a lot more tournaments,'' added Singh, whose victory on Monday was his third of the PGA tour season.



However the former US PGA and Masters champion is one of seven leading contenders for the Player of the Year award.



Singh is vying with world number one Tiger Woods, US Masters champion Mike Weir, US Open winner Jim Furyk, world number two Ernie Els, Davis Love III and Kenny Perry for the accolade.


Bureau Report