Jim Furyk Earns 2010 PGA TOUR Player of the Year Honors

~ Last Man Standing - Jim Furyk poses with the FedEx Cup trophy after ending his remarkable 2010 campaign with a victory at THE TOUR Championship. ~

For the past 17 years, Jim Furyk's reputation as a relentless grinder, a consistent performer, and a highly reputable individual has only steadily increased.

With 26 professional victories around the globe, including 16 on the PGA TOUR, Furyk has attained some of the highest honors in the game of golf.

In 2003, he tied the record for the lowest 72-hole score in the history of the U.S. Open championship as he proceeded to defeat Australian Stephen Leaney by three strokes. Meanwhile, during the 2006 PGA TOUR season, Furyk reached a career high of second in the Official World Golf Rankings and obtained the Vardon Trophy, which is awarded annually to the TOUR's leader in scoring average.

As a result, Furyk's peers were not surprised to learn that he had finally been chosen as the PGA TOUR Player of the Year for the 2010 season; if anything else, they may be wondering why he had not received the honor earlier in his career.

Nevertheless, the 2010 season was definitely a memorable one for Furyk. Not only did he cap off his season with a $10 million pay day by winning the FedEx Cup trophy, he also captured three PGA TOUR tournament victories - the most he has ever attained in a single season.

Prior to his stellar 2010 campaign, he had not won a tournament since the 2007 Canadian Open. The winless streak was quite unusual for Furyk as he previously had endured only two winless seasons on the TOUR since 1994.

Undoubtedly, he was eager to end his winless streak as soon as possible in order to once again be known as one of the most elite golfers in the world.

Although Furyk did not demand immediate attention from fans and analysts throughout the first two and a half months of the season, he finally had an opportunity to earn his first victory of 2010 at the Transitions Championship, hosted at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Florida.

By posting scores of 67, 68, and 67 during his first three rounds, he appeared to be poised to earn his 14th PGA TOUR victory. On Sunday, however, K.J. Choi was determined to stall Furyk's steady start.

Yet, in spite of K.J.'s inspiring play during the final round, Furyk shot a solid 69 and claimed a one-stroke victory over Choi. At long last, his winless streak had finally been relinquished.

The victory provided Furyk with a much-needed confidence boost that did not deteriorate throughout the remaining events of the season.

Shortly after Phil Mickelson won the 2010 Masters, Furyk was once again in position to win another PGA TOUR event at the Verizon Heritage - a tournament hosted at the nerve-racking Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

With scores of 67, 68, 67, and 69, Furyk posted a 13-under-par total, which was only matched by the Englishman Brian Davis. As both golfers proceeded to play a sudden death playoff hole, the tournament ended abruptly, and in rather odd fashion, after Davis called a two-stroke penalty on himself for accidently moving a loose impediment during his takeaway - a direct violation of rule 13.4.

Due to Davis's unfortunate error, Furyk won his second PGA TOUR tournament of the year - all within the span of four weeks.

However, although Furyk enjoyed the hottest start to a season in his entire golfing career, he could not have anticipated the way in which his season would end.

With four more top-ten finishes prior to the TOUR Championship, Furyk continued to perform at a high level after he had won the Verizon Heritage. Consequently, he was still in a position to attain his first-ever FedEx Cup championship - if he were to win the final event of the Playoffs, THE TOUR Championship.

After a scorching hot start, with first and second rounds of 67 and 65, respectively, Furyk was one of the favorites to contend during the weekend at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

Even though he only managed to shoot a third round score of even-par 70, Furyk held a one-stroke advantage over Luke Donald on the 72nd hole of the tournament. Unfortunately, he hit his approach shot into a deep bunker near the green.

Just when it seemed that the tournament may ultimately be decided by a playoff between Donald and Furyk, Jim hit one of the greatest clutch shots of his career.

As Furyk's ball cleanly escaped the bunker and landed only two-and-a-half feet from the hole, he had not only earned the 16th PGA victory of his career, but he had finally obtained his very first three-victory season.

Fittingly, in addition to the various accolades that Furyk attained in 2010, he finally received an honor that he arguably deserved years ago - the PGA TOUR Player of the Year award.

After playing some of the best golf of his career at the age of 40, what should golf fans expect from Furyk during the last 10 seasons of his PGA TOUR career? What could he possibly do for an encore?

Will he build upon his momentous 2010 season with a major championship victory in 2011? Perhaps, he may even successfully defend his reign as the FedEx Cup champion.

With a sense of newfound confidence, Furyk will likely be well-prepared to perform at the highest level once again in 2011...and well into the future.

Jim Furyk's Career Achievements

16 PGA TOUR Victories

~ 1995 Las Vegas Invitational
~ 1996 United Airlines Hawaiian Open
~ 1998 Las Vegas Invitational
~ 1999 Las Vegas Invitational
~ 2000 Doral-Ryder Open
~ 2001 Mercedes Championships
~ 2002 Memorial Tournament
~ 2003 U.S. Open
~ 2003 Buick Open
~ 2005 Cialis Western Open
~ 2006 Wachovia Championship
~ 2006 Canadian Open
~ 2007 Canadian Open
~ 2010 Transitions Championship
~ 2010 Verizon Heritage
~ 2010 The TOUR Championship

Seven-time Ryder Cup member (1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010)

Six-time Presidents Cup member (1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009)

2006 Vardon Trophy winner

2010 FedEx Cup Champion and PGA TOUR Player of the Year