Golf’s golden boy Tiger Woods has tarnished his image with the multiple infidelity allegations. Woods, who won 64 times around the world, including 12 majors, recently announced an indefinite leave from golf after facing shame and publicity for the disgraceful reasons.
Disgraced Woods’ athletic power proved
Fallen from grace, the embattled golf superstar was selected Wednesday as the Athlete of the Decade by members of The Associated Press.
Woods, who was ranked the fourth wealthiest celebrity by Forbes this year, deserved the media kudos as his 56 PGA Tour victories in one decade were more than any athlete except four of golf greats won in their careers, according to AP.
The 33-year-old married golfer received 56 of the 142 votes in the balloting of AP member editors that began before Woods crashed his Cadillac Escalade on Nov. 27.
More than half of the ballots were returned by AP members after his minor but much-publicized car accident that set off sensational tales of infidelity.
What AP voters think about Woods?
“I didn’t think that was enough to change my vote. I thought he was a transcendent sports figure,” Boston Herald quoted Mike Strain, sports editor of the Tulsa World in Oklahoma, as saying.
"Despite the tsunami of negative publicity that will likely tarnish his image, there's no denying that Woods' on-the-course accomplishments set a new standard of dominance within his sport while making golf more accessible to the masses," wrote Stu Whitney, sports editor of the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus Leader.
"The only proof needed are the television ratings when Tiger plays in a golf tournament, compared to those events when others have to carry the load."
“No athlete dominated a particular sport the way Tiger Woods did this decade,” said Phil Kaplan, deputy sports editor at the Knoxille News-Sentinel in Tennessee.
Woods won the title after beating out such sports great like six-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, tennis great Roger Federer and Olympic gold medal collector Michael Phelps.
Other superstars who are far behind Tiger in the AP tally
Lance Armstrong: He won 33 AP votes after pedaling his way to a remarkable six Tour de France titles over he ten years.
Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer: He won more Grand Slam singles titles than any other man in 2000s, He’s ranked third with 25 votes.
Michael Phelps: The US swimmer’s mind-boggling, eight-gold-medal effort at the Beijing Olympics earned him 13 votes, finishing a distant fourth with.
New England Quarterback Tom Brady: He finished fifth with six votes.
Record-breaking sprinter Usain Bolt: He garnered four ballots to stand at sixth place.
Five other athletes received one vote each.
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