Woods, Five Times ‘Player of the Year’

Five times ‘Player of the Year’ in six years. It’s an empirical record.

Tiger Woods has received the ‘Player of the Year (2002)’ award for the fifth time, by the votes of American PGA members.

On the 7th of January, according to the announcement of American PGA poll, Tiger Woods was elected as the ‘Player of the Year’ for fourth consecutive year. He was elected five times in his full-time career of six year.

Woods has missed the award in 1998. Due to a ‘second year’ jinx, he has scored only one victory and ranked fourth in the Price ranking.

Since then, he has achieved first ranking for four consecutive years and was awarded the Arnold Palmer and Byron Nelson awards.

Currently he is in a recovery therapy from a left knee surgery he took in last month. In his personal website (www.tigerwoods.com), he has commented that he is under directions of his therapist and medical staff and he is in a smooth recovery. The surgical wound has recovered and he is able to go outdoors alone.

“Often I take electrocardiogram test on an indoor cycle machine,” says Wood. “I’m planning for ‘Route de France’ (a cross country cycling competition) in mid-July,” he also jokes.

Regarding his return to the golf tour, Wood declares, “I won’t play in agony anymore. No matter how long it takes, I will obey directions of doctors. Till then I won’t participate in tournaments and training practices.”

It’s known that if he recovers from his surgery, he will begin his extensive training from putting and over times, to higher levels.

Young-Sik Ahn ysahn@donga.com