Woods received 56 of the 142 votes cast by AP member editors. More than half of the ballots were returned after his Nov. 27 car accident which set off the sensational tales of infidelity that have tarnished Woods' image.
Lance Armstrong, a cancer survivor who won the Tour de France six times this decade, finished second with 33 votes, followed by tennis Grand Slam champion Roger Federer with 25 votes.
Woods had more PGA Tour titles in one decade than all but four of golf's greatest players won in their careers.
