Players of the year 2002: Golf Digest's annual awards have honored each season's best since 1954

Golf Digest, Jan, 2003

Professionals

World Player of the Year and Mickey Wright Award

Annika Sorenstam

Age: 32 * Incline Village, Nev. * Wins: 10

With one event left at press time, the Swede had an amazing 10 LPGA Tour wins to repeat as World Player of the Year and earn our Mickey Wright Award for most tour victories in a season.

Rookie of the Year, PGA Tour

Jonathan Byrd

Age: 24 * Anderson, S.C. * Wins: 1

Byrd, who earned his playing status with a solid 2001 season on the Buy.com Tour, edged out Pat Perez for Rookie of the Year honors with a late-season burst: a first win, at the Buick Challenge.

Most Improved Golfer, PGA Tour

Rich Beem

Age: 32 * El Paso * Wins: 2

With back-to-back wins in August, including the PGA Championship, the former cell phone salesman finished the year seventh on the money list--102 spots better than in 2001.

Byron Nelson Award

Tiger Woods

Age: 26 * Orlando * Wins: 5

The Grand Slam didn't happen, but Tiger won two majors plus three other PGA Tour events to scoop our Byron Nelson Award for most tour wins and top the tour money list for the fifth time.

Rookie of the Year, LPGA Tour

Beth Bauer

Age: 22 * Tampa, Fla. * Wins: 0

Last year's Futures Tour Rookie of the Year takes the honor on the LPGA Tour in 2002. As of early November she had earned $432,454 to outpace her closest rookie rival, Natalie Gulbis.

Most Improved Golfer, LPGA Tour

Cristie Kerr

Age: 25 * Miami * Wins: 1

In her sixth full season on the LPGA Tour, Kerr broke through with her debut win at the Longs Drugs Challenge in April to march into the top 10 on the money list for the first time.

Amateurs

Men's Amateur Ranking

Ricky Barnes

Age: 21 * Stockton, Calif.

Beating Hunter Mahan 2 and 1 to win the U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills capped an impressive year for the University of Arizona All-American, who also played in the U.S. Open at Bethpage.

Boys' Amateur Ranking

Seung Su Han

Age: 16 * Chino Hills, Calif.

Han's four wins in '02 included two major events with strong fields: Chrysler AJGA Boys Invitational and the EDS Boys Junior Championship where he won with a 12-under 276.

Senior Men's Amateur Ranking

Greg Reynolds

Age: 55 * Grand Blanc, Mich.

Reynolds, previously unranked, got into the U.S. Senior Amateur as an alternate and won it, beating Mark Bemowski 4 and 3 in the final, and reached the third round of the U.S. Mid-Amateur.

Women's Amateur Ranking

Virada Nirapathpongporn

Age: 20 * Bangkok, Thailand

Besides individual and team wins (with Duke) at the NCAA, she won the Eastern Amateur, got to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Women's Amateur and played in the U.S. Women's Open.

Girls' Amateur Ranking

In-Bee Park

Age: 14 * Eustis, Fla.

Although she turned 14 only this summer, Park, a newcomer to the United States, showed remarkable poise in winning the U.S. Girls' Junior and AJGA Rolex Girls Jr. Championship.

Senior Women's Amateur Ranking

Carol Semple Thompson

Age: 54 * Sewickley, Pa.

She won her fourth consecutive Senior Women's Amateur; made it to the third round of the U.S. Women's Amateur; played in the U.S. Women's Open; and sank a key putt in the Curtis Cup.