Langer is Champions Player of the Year

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Bernhard Langer, who won five tournaments in 2010, was selected the Champions Tour Player of the Year for a third consecutive year, officials said Monday.

Langer, 53, won the Senior Open Championship and the U.S. Senior Open in a two-week period this summer in becoming the tour's first player to take the Jack Nicklaus Trophy as Player of the Year and the Arnold Palmer Award as the leading money winner three consecutive years.

He also won the Charles Schwab Cup after a season in which he had 15 Top 10 finishes.

Langer won more than $2.6 million over 23 Champion Tour events in 2010. Fred Couples won four tournaments and was second on the money list with $2.3 million. He was selected the tour Rookie of the Year.

Ken Green, who had part of his right leg amputated after a serious road accident in June 2009, was selected Comeback Player of the Year.