Tiger Woods was voted the 2006 United States PGA Tour player of the year by his peers, tour commissioner Tim Finchem announced in Florida on Tuesday.
Woods captured the honour for the eighth time in his famed career for a year that saw him raise his all-time major win total to 12 by capturing the British Open and PGA Championship.
”Tiger has shown a remarkable ability to raise his game to the highest level and then sustain that excellence,” Finchem said. ”Winning the Jack Nicklaus Trophy for the eighth time in 10 years is testimony to his greatness.”
Moving ever nearer to Nicklaus’s record of 18 career major titles, Woods won eight events and led the US PGA Tour with $9,9-million in prize money.
He also won the Byron Nelson Trophy for the low US PGA Tour scoring average at 68,11.
Woods won two World Golf Championship events for the fifth time in his career and improved his career victory total to 54, fifth on the all-time win list.
The success came in a year that also brought Woods great sadness as his father, Earl, lost his battle with cancer. Woods missed the cut at the US Open in the first event after his father’s death but recovered top form after that.
South African Trevor Immelman, who won the Western Open and took home more than $3,8-million in prize money, was named the US PGA Tour rookie of the year.
American Steve Stricker was named the US PGA Tour comeback player of the year. In 17 starts, Stricker posted seven top-10 finishes, including a share of second at the Booz Allen Classic. He was 34th on the money list with more than $1,8-million. — Sapa-AFP