PONTE VEDRA BEACH, September 27, 2013 (AFP) - It is the 11th time that the 37-year-old Woods has won the award, with this latest acknowledgement coming at the end of a season in which he has won five times in 16 Tour starts.
Woods, who has still not won a major since the 2008 US Open, won at the WGC-Cadillac Championship and the WGC Bridgestone Invitational as well as at the Players Championship.
"It's been an incredible year to have won five times," Woods said. "Fantastic year all around. It's an incredible feeling to be voted by your peers and have that respect. It's very humbling."
Woods has 79 career Tour victories and is now just three shy of Sam Snead's all-time record of 82.
He pipped Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott and Henrik Stenson to the award.
Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Spieth became the youngest player to win on the Tour in more than 80 years when he triumphed at the John Deere Classic when still 19.
He had nine top-10 finishes in all and has shot up the world rankings to 21st.
"It's a tremendous honor," Spieth said.