TIGER TOPS US SPORTS EDITORS'
MALE ATHLETE OF YEAR POLL
Tiger Woods has been voted Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year in the annual poll of sports editors in the United States.
Second was NFL running back LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers) and third Roger Federer from the tennis world.
During 2006, Woods, now 31, won eight times in 15 starts, six tournaments in a row and two majors to give him a career-total of 12.
Give Tiger his due, he felt that his good friend Federer, the dominant force in men’s tennis and the US Open champion, should have won the award.
“What Roger’s done in tennis, I think, is far greater than what I’ve done in golf,” Woods said. “He’s lost what ... five matches in three years? That’s pretty good.”
Woods received 260 points in the poll of American sports editors. Tomlinon, who set an an NFL record of 31 touchdowns before the end of the regular season, gained 230pt. Federer, despite his three Grand Slam Titles, totalled only 110pt.
Emphasising the blinkered “east-west, home’s best” view of American sports editors, fourth equal in their poll were a basketball player, Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat), and two baseball players, Albert Puhols (St Louis Cardinals) and Ryan Howard (Philadelphia Phillies), all with 20pt.
Aussie cricketer Shane Warne and world champion Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe didn’t rate a mention.