After moving from the disabled list to the winner’s circle in 2018, Tiger Woods was named as the latest recipient of the Ben Hogan Award by the Golf Writers Association of America.
The award is handed out annually to a player who “has overcome a physical handicap or serious injury to remain active in golf.” Woods underwent a spinal fusion in April 2017 and returned to action last year, contending at both The Open and PGA Championship before his season culminated with a drought-breaking victory at the Tour Championship. He received the award in a vote over fellow nominees Patrick Cantlay and Billy Harmon.
Past Hogan Award recipients include Stacy Lewis, J.B. Holmes, Jarrod Lyle, Erik Compton, Casey Martin and Paul Azinger.
“I’m grateful to receive an award named after Mr. Hogan and to join a group of truly inspirational individuals,” Woods said. “I feel very fortunate that I was able to return to a normal life with my kids, and I understand what a privilege it is to play competitive golf again.”
Additional award recipients include Johnny Miller, who will retire from a three-decade run in the broadcast booth next month. Miller will receive the William D. Richardson Award for his “outstanding contribution to golf” and was voted ahead of fellow nominees Mike Keiser, Shirley Spork and Marilynn Smith.
Former U.S. Open champ Geoff Ogilvy will receive the ASAP Sports/Jim Murray Award, annually given to a player “for his or her working relationship with the media.” Other 2018 nominees included fellow Aussie Adam Scott as well as LPGA star So Yeon Ryu.
All three award recipients will be honored during the GWAA annual dinner on the eve of the opening round of the Masters, where Brooks Koepka, Ariya Jutanugarn and Bernhard Langer will also receive awards as respective players of the year for 2018.