GOLF: Tiger Woods barely had time to savour his third straight Player of the Year award before January ushered in the US PGA Tour's 2002 season and a new list of players eager to knock him off his perch atop the golf world.

The Mercedes Championships, open only to 2001 tournament winners, starts today at Kapalua, Hawaii, inaugurating a season that will wrap up in November with the Tour Championship.

In the interim, the United States and Europe will meet in the Ryder Cup, postponed from last year in the wake of the September terrorist attacks.

Before the Europeans and Americans meet in matchplay battle at The Belfry in September, Woods will have several international players gunning for him right in his backyard.

David Duval ended his Major drought with a triumph in the British Open, Phil Mickelson extended his with memorable near misses in the Masters and PGA Championship.

Mickelson sat out the rest of the season, a break he's continuing this week.

Like Toms, South Africa's Retief Goosen brings greater confidence and a higher profile into 2002 thanks to a Major triumph in the US Open, after he shrugged off a 72nd-hole blunder to beat Mark Brooks in a play-off at the US Open.

Newcomers to the US Tour will also be trying to close in on Woods.

Luke Donald, perhaps the brightest English prospect since Lee Westwood and winner of the 1999 US collegiate championship representing Northwestern University, earned his card at Q-School, playing the final two rounds without dropping a shot.