Notebook: Henrik Stenson selected as top golfer by European writers

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Henrik Stenson has won the Golf Writers Trophy from the Association of Golf Writers, awarded to the top golfer who was born or lives in Europe, along with European teams. Stenson became the first player this year to win the FedExCup on the PGA Tour and the Race to Dubai on the European Tour. 

 

Nearly two-thirds of the AGW members made Stenson their first choice on a ballot that included U.S. Open champion Justin Rose and Europe's Solheim Cup team that won on American soil for the first time. 

 

Stenson was the first Swedish male to win the award. Annika Sorenstam won the award twice. 

 

"I'm looking forward to getting a few of these trophies I've won into the summer house in Sweden," said Stenson, who primarily lives at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla. "It has been such a great year that I can have a few in Europe and a few in my house in America. What a great thrill it is going to be over Christmas to sit by the fire with my family and take stock of the season, look at trophies such as this one and reflect on the year of my life." 

 

THE HANEY SHOW: Hank Haney has gone from writing a book on his years with Tiger Woods to hosting his own radio show on SiriusXM. 

 

The radio network continues to beef up its programming. It already has shows for Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter, along with two-time Masters champion, architect and golf savant Ben Crenshaw. Haney will host "Hank Haney Golf Radio," an instructional-based show that will air Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. ET starting on Jan. 3. 

 

The program will be geared around Haney's teaching philosophy, and he will take calls from listeners who want help with their games. Haney also will offer his analysis on today's players and take on current topics, which are sure to include Woods. 

 

"This show will be truly interactive and I'm eager to speak with golfers across the country," Haney said. 

 

TWEETING TIGER: Jason Dufner jokingly tweeted to Tiger Woods that the schedule of the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge be changed so Dufner could watch Auburn in the SEC title game last week. Woods replied on Twitter, "Petition denied." 

 

It was a significant only because it was Woods' first tweet in more than a month. It was his 35th tweet in the span of a year, most of them commercially related. And that Dufner tweet was the first of – get this – FIVE tweets in two days. 

 

"I'm hot, aren't I?" Woods said. 

 

Woods said girlfriend Lindsey Vonn is trying to persuade him to tweet more. Progress remains slow. 

 

"I grew up in a different era, and it's a little bit different for me," Woods said, who is 9 years older than the downhill ski champion. "I'm still a little bit old-school. I'm kind of getting it, but still not grasping the whole concept yet. But I'll get there eventually." 

 

DIVOTS: K.J. Choi donated his $100,000 from the World Cup to help with relief efforts in the Philippines. "I wanted to represent Korea in sharing the sentiment of my fellow countrymen to our friends in the Philippines," Choi said. "I send my deepest condolences to the people of the Philippines who have lost their families and homes. The donation from the KJ Choi Foundation was sent to the American Red Cross. ... Redstone Golf Club is now called "Golf Club of Houston" under a contractual requirement when it changed ownership. It still is host of the Shell Houston Open, the final PGA Tour event before the Masters. ... Cal coach Steve Desimone has been selected U.S. captain of the Palmer Cup next year. The Palmer Cup, matches between college players from the United States and Europe, will be June 26-28 at Walton Heath. 

 

STAT OF THE WEEK: The 19 tournaments Tiger Woods played this year offered an average of 72.7 world ranking points to the winner. 

 

FINAL WORD: "Driving accuracy far outweighs distance. And I sleep better at night knowing that." – Zach Johnson. He was No. 8 in driving accuracy on the PGA Tour last year and No. 153 in driving distance.