Fiji’s 50-year-old former world No.1 Vijay Singh is testament to golfers’ unquenchable optimism.

This year, Singh fell from the world’s top 100, where he had spent the best part of 24 years, became old enough to join the seniors circuit and launched an ongoing legal fight with the US PGA Tour.

But, as he prepares to play the Australian Masters at Royal Melbourne, Singh feels his game is coming good again.

He recently tinkered with his swing to extend his driving distance, reverted from a belly putter to a conventional-sized blade, which he believes has fixed the Achilles heel of his game, and teamed up with a new caddie.

He says operations have also fixed knee injuries that dogged him in recent years.

“This is the first year that I feel like I am able to compete again and my game is coming around,” Singh told reporters on Wednesday.

He hasn’t won a tournament in five years, but he’s lost none of the competitive drive which netted him three majors between 1998 and 2004.

“I want to win so bad, that is what is bugging me so much,” Singh said.

“I have not won in a few years and I want to win.

“I do not want to go out there and win on a senior tour because it really does not give me any kind of incentive. I want to win on the regular tour.

“I want to win this week.”

Singh says his mindset has improved, after dipping badly when the US PGA Tour launched an investigation early this year into his use of a deer antler spray, which was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

WADA subsequently lifted the ban and the case was dropped, but Singh launched court action against the tour.

He declined to comment directly on the case, but acknowledged its personal impact.

“It has been a thorn in my side for a while but I have kind of tried to put that behind me and just focus on my game,” he said.