Trump to award Woods with Presidential Medal of Freedom

April 16 (UPI) -- A day after Tiger Woods won his fifth Masters championship, President Donald Trump said he would award the golfer America's highest civilian honor.

"Spoke to Tiger Woods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday's The Masters to inform him that because of his incredible success and comeback in sports (golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM!" Trump tweeted Monday.

On Sunday, Woods won the Masters in Augusta, Ga., with a 14-under par for the first time since 2005 in what has largely been seen as a comeback as the golfer has experienced several setbacks to his career in recent years that include several injuries and a high-profile sex scandal that ruined his image and his marriage to former model Elin Nordegren.

The victory makes Woods, at 43 years old, the second oldest golfer to win the championship after Jack Nicklaus, who won the green jacket at 46 in 1986.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is regarded as the United States's highest civilian award, the U.S. Senate said on its website.

"Honorees are selected solely by the president and their accomplishments are in wide-ranging fields, including public service, journalism, entertainment, sports and business," it said.

An avid golfer, Trump called Woods "a truly Great Champion!" in a tweet after it was announced that the veteran golfer had won.

Trump did not say when the award ceremony would take place.

Since Trump was inaugurated in November 2016, he has awarded the medal on seven people, including Dr. Miriam Adelson, retired politician Orrin Hatch and retired Supreme Court Justice and football legend Alan Page. Trump gave his first Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously to singer Elvis Presley.