Sport

Woods wins Player of the Year again

World Target Challenge: For the eighth time in 10 years, Tiger Woods has accepted PGA Tour Player of the Year honours.

Thu Dec 14 2006 - 00:00

World Target Challenge:For the eighth time in 10 years, Tiger Woods has accepted PGA Tour Player of the Year honours.

Woods walked off with the Jack Nicklaus trophy after being voted the Tour's top player by his peers, adding another honour to his eight victories in 15 tournaments - including the British Open and the PGA Championship.

South Africa's Trevor Immelman was named the Tour's rookie of the year and Steve Stricker of the US the comeback player of the year.

"Thank you, it's always an honour to get the respect of your peers," Woods said. "This year has been an interesting one to say the least, on the golf course as well as off."

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Woods has just one more golf commitment this year, hosting the $5.75-million Target World Challenge at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California - which starts today - before taking a well-earned ski holiday.

But, despite a remarkable season in which Woods returned to a position of undisputed dominance, 2006 ends with sadness as the world number one prepares for his first Christmas without his father, Earl, who died in May after a long illness.

"The holiday season the last couple of years haven't been a whole lot of fun," Woods said. "Certainly (this was) the most difficult season I've ever had; you don't ever want to lose a parent, your father, your mentor, your best friend.

"When that day happens, even though you think you're prepared for it . . . you think you've gone down this road, you think you can handle it and all of a sudden it happens and you find out it affects much deeper than you thought previously."

After taking a nine-week break to mourn his father, Woods returned at the US Open and missed his first cut at a major as a professional.

But using his father as inspiration, Woods rebounded in stunning fashion, finishing runner-up at the Western Open before reeling off wins at his next six individual events, including an emotional victory at the British Open.

"The hardest thing for me to do was play golf," said Woods.

Target World Challenge Tee-off Times

First Round (USA unless stated) - 9.40am (5.40pm Irish-time):Fred Couples, Davis Love III; 9.50am (5.50pm):Chris DiMarco, David Toms; 10am (6pm):Luke Donald (Eng), Paul Casey (Eng); 10.10am (6.10pm):Colin Montgomerie (Sco), John Daly; 10.20am (6.20pm):Tiger Woods, Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa); 10.30am (6.30pm): Padraig Harrington (Irl),Michael Campbell (Nzl); 10.40am (6.40pm):Adam Scott (Aus), Geoff Ogilvy (Aus); 10.50am (6.50pm): Henrik Stenson (Swe), David Howell (Eng).