It was a 10th anniversary that went unnoticed last week at the FBR Open, probably because Vijay Singh and Billy Mayfair never got into contention over the weekend.

But 10 years ago on Sunday, Singh beat Mayfair on the first hole of sudden death at the TPC of Scottsdale. At the time, the win was only Singh’s second on the PGA Tour en route to his current total of 25.

A lot has gone on since, although Singh’s ascension to No. 1 in the world has been much more well-chronicled than Mayfair’s decline (No. 235). While the big, bad Fijian continues to pile up the wins and the money, the good guy from Scottsdale is struggling.

It’s gotten to the point where Mayfair is playing on a one-time exemption off the Tour’s all-time money list. The bad news is, he failed to retain his card last year for the first time in 16 years after finishing 140th on the money list (top 125 keep their card). The good news is, he played well enough in those previous campaigns to earn $10,483,744, which ranks him 48th all-time.

A player has to be among the top 50 all-time money-winners in order to get that free ride, so Mayfair made it by the slimmest of margins. But he’s not the only notable that’s had to go to that one-time exemption this season in order to keep playing, as such proven pros as Rocco Mediate (38th) and Mark O’Meara (25th) also are in that category.

“It’s one of the great things that the Tour does for you,’’ Mayfair said. “You’re out there for 15 years, and then you have one bad season, and they pick you up and give you a chance again because you’ve played well in the past.’’

Still, Mayfair knows he needs to pull it together soon. And there are signs that he might be on the edge of playing like “the Billy of Old.’’

For instance, he’s made four straight cuts in as many outings for 2005 and $58,911, his best finish being a tie for 34th at the Bob Hope. He certainly looked like a goner last week at the FBR, where he was 5-over par with nine holes to play. But four birdies on his last nine holes got him back in the mix (the cut came at 3 over), even though he ended up in a tie for 61st.

But making cuts is the key to success, because Mayfair always has been a streaky player. With winners getting close to $1 million each week, and “place’’ and “show’’ worth $400,000 to $600,000, it only takes one big week to get healthy.

“Truthfully, using (the all-time money exemption) was pretty well-timed, because being 48th . . . now is the best time to use it,’’ Mayfair said, meaning he might have been pushed out of the top 50 after this season.

“Having said that, I didn’t really want to use it ever, because I’d sooner play well and keep my card. So it was a good thing/bad thing.’’

One “thing’’ that is certain is that East Valley fans still love Mayfair. That was evident last week, as the faithful cheered him on despite an average week. Chances are those fans still recall the days when he was Arizona’s most outstanding junior player ever, when he was an All-American at Arizona State, when he was named the nation’s top collegiate player (1987), and when he won the U.S. Public Links Championship (’86) and the U.S. Amateur (’87).

Even though the last of his five Tour wins came at the 1998 Buick Open, the same year he won the Nissan Open, Mayfair thinks he still has the right stuff, and that’s huge. He’s really not focused on accumulating money as much as returning to the winner’s circle, he said.

“The problem (last year) was the putting,’’ said Mayfair, who fell to 193rd in that stat. “And that’s why I’ve switched to this.’’

“This’’ is the belly putter, which Mayfair has added to his arsenal with one big exception: He positions the grip against his sternum rather than his belly button.

“I feel confident with it -- I no longer cut (the putt); just straight back and straight through -- and I’m not thinking about (missing) short putts when I go to bed at night,’’ said Mayfair, who currently ranks 109th in that category, a position he frequently found himself in when he was winning.

“I really do feel like my game is coming around, so maybe one of the weeks I’ll get my chance again (to win).’’

Best of all, his confidence is up and his sense of humor is intact. That was obvious a couple of weeks ago, related his wife, Tammy.

“I was freaked out about taking my real-estate license test, and I told him, ‘Honey, I didn’t want to tell you this, because I know you’ve got a lot on your mind, but I’m scared,’ ’’ Tammy explained. “And he just smiled at me, and said, “What if I was sitting behind a computer, and I could see you taking your test, and you were going to select the wrong answer, and I was saying, ‘No, no, Tammy, don’t pick that one!’

“ ‘Well, sweetheart, that’s the way it is for me every week, and you just have to let it go, and try and relax.’ It was such good advice that I passed my test.’’

Billy’s reference was to pgatour.com, where fans monitor his score on every hole, as well as every swing through ShotLink. Granted, it’s a lot of pressure, but Mayfair knows how to deal with that.

“Sure, I haven’t won since ’98, so it’s been awhile,’’ he conceded. “But I’m in good shape, my game is in good shape, my putting has gotten a lot better, and I’m trying to stay as positive as I can.

“Believe me, it’s not just about playing well, because you have to be a little lucky, too. So, who knows? Maybe I’ll have one of those special weeks -- and get a little lucky.’’

You hope so, because the PGA Tour needs more Billy Mayfairs. He takes the Tour’s slogan -- “These guys are good’’ -- and alters it slightly, as in “These are good guys.’’