Golf News: - Posted 23rd October 1997

Tiger Woods wins America's Player of the Year Award

Tiger Woods has won the PGA of America's Player of the Year Award. This week he is defending the first PGA Tour title he ever won, the Las Vegas Invitational.

Woods, who has won The Masters, the Mercedes Championships, the Byron Nelson Classic and the Western Open this year, compiled a total of 98 points based on victory points, standings points and money points. He is 28 ahead of his nearest competitor, PGA Championship winner Davis Love III.

The PGA of America Player of the Year award is based on points while the PGA Tour Player of the Year award is voted on by PGA Tour members after the Tour Championship. The PGA Tour award will be announced in January.

The PGA of America award Player of the Year points with the four majors being worth 30 points while the Players Championship and World Series of Golf are worth 20 apiece. All other PGA Tour events are worth 10 points. The scoring system awards 20 points for first place and subtracts two points down to 10th place, which receives two points. Points for money are awarded in the same method as scoring.

The 21-year-old Woods, who also needs less than $40,000 to become the first PGA Tour golfer to win $2 million in a year, has six overall wins. He was disappointed with his performance in the Ryder Cup gaining just 1½ of a possible five points.