Tiger Woods is the highest-paid athlete in the world for the first time since his sex scandal

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is back on top of the world - in more ways than one.

The iconic golfer returned this year to the world No 1 spot he had held for so long until his self-imposed exile from the game December 2009.

The American has earned $78.1million in the last year. The vast majority of which came from endorsement deals worth $65million and the remaining $13.1million came from winnings. 

And now the 37-year-old is back at the top of Forbes' annual list of the world's 100 highest paid athletes.

Woods was top of the list for 11 consecutive years until 2012, when he was usurped by Swiss tennis star Roger Federer.

This has been a year of rehabilitation for Woods, who has come out from seemingly self-imposed hiding after the fallout from his multiple extramarital affairs surfaced.

Tiger Woods is back on top of the world - in more ways than one. The iconic golfer returned this year to the world No 1 spot he had held for so long until his self-imposed exile from the game December 2009. And now the 37-year-old is back at the top of Forbes' annual list of the world's 100 highest paid athletes. The top ten earning athletes according to Forbes includes (top row left to right) Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Drew Brees. They are followed closely by Aaron Rodgers, Phil Mickelson, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronadlo and Lionel Messi.

Basketball: Kobe Bryant likely out for season after snapping Achilles tendon stirring fears it could spell the end of his career

Kobe Bryant's 17th NBA season likely ended on an innocent move past a defender toward the hoop.He felt a pop as he pushed off his left foot. The pain made him think somebody kicked him, causing him to tumble to the floor.

The Los Angeles Lakers are all but certain Bryant tore his Achilles tendon Friday night, likely taking him out for the rest of the season and facing the five-time NBA champion with months of rehab.Some even wonder whether this was the injury that could be the end to his extraordinary career.

'I made a move that I've made a million times, and it just popped,' he said while appearing to bite back tears as he leaned on crutches in the Lakers' locker room after a 118-116 win over Golden State.The fourth-leading scorer in NBA history probably will miss the postseason for just the second time, even if Los Angeles hangs on to the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoff race without him.

 The 34-year-old who has spent half his life in a Lakers uniform realizes everybody will wonder if his career will ever be the same