Rate it!

0 votes

Michael Arkush of Yahoo! Sports hands out his accolades as an enthralling season on the US Tour draws to a close.

With all due respect to the Flat - sorry, Fall - Series, the US PGA Tour season is over, done, kaput. Just ask Vijay Singh's accountant.

Following are this year's honours:

Best tournament

1. This one is a no-brainer. Even before Monday's unforgettable duel between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate, the US Open at Torrey Pines was as captivating as this sport ever gets. The whole country, not just golf diehards, tuned in. We may not see another US Open like it for decades.

2. Open Championship: With only nine holes to go at Royal Birkdale, 53-year-old Greg Norman was in the lead. If he had somehow managed to pull it off, the victory would have made up, in part, for the Shark's numerous late failures in Major championships.

3: The Tour Championship: The future became the present as twentysomething stars Camilo Villegas, Sergio Garcia and Anthony Kim were in the hunt on the 72nd hole at East Lake, along with Phil Mickelson.

Best shot

Phil Mickelson, Colonial Invitational.

Only Mickelson would spray his tee shot left on the 72nd hole, and only Mickelson would escape with a you-had-to-see-it-to-believe-it 52-degree wedge hook out of the trees to about 10 feet, where he made birdie.

2: Woods's 12-foot birdie putt on the final green to force the 18-hole US Open playoff: Of course, he was always going to make it...Wasn't he?

3: Padraig Harrington's magical three-wood on the 71st hole to within six feet at Royal Birkdale, setting up the eagle that clinched the tournament over Ian Poulter.

Worst shot

Given the circumstances, it has to be Garcia's six-iron approach that found the pond guarding the 16th green on Sunday in the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills. Somehow, he always finds a way to lose the big ones.

2: Paul Goydos's approach, which found the water on the 17th at TPC Sawgrass in the first playoff hole with Garcia. Yet the way in which Goydos, a longtime journeyman, approached the tough outcome was a model of class.

3: Perry's second shot on the 72nd hole in the AT&T Classic. The ball bounced off a tree and into the pond. Perry didn't let it spoil his tremendous season.

Best player

For all of Tiger's exploits at Torrey, there is no way to possibly overlook Padraig Harrington and his two Major victories. He stormed back on the final nine at both Birkdale and Oakland Hills with one clutch shot after another. No wonder he had nothing left in the tank for the FedEx Cup and the Ryder Cup.

2: Tiger Woods: What he did at Torrey will never be forgotten. And, by the way, he still finished second on the money list, in only six events!

3: Vijay Singh: Just when many figured that age was finally catching up to him, the 45-year-old Singh came through with his best golf in years. He's far from done.

Comeback player

For once, it's not Steve Stricker. The honor goes to Perry, who went into the year with a game plan and did not deviate regardless of how much criticism he generated with his attitude toward the major tournaments.

2: Mike Weir. The former Masters champion didn't win a tournament, but compiled six top 10s. Weir is back where he belongs, close to the game's top tier.

3: Dudley Hart: Also finished with six top 10s. In 2007, he made only 12 appearances, finishing with only three top 25s.

Most disappointing player

It goes to Ernie Els, for probably the last time, as the expectations for 2009 and beyond might not be so high anymore. (Maybe the Big Easy is just positioning himself for next year's comeback award?) After he captured the Honda Classic in early March, there was real hope that the old Els would resurface. Instead, he looked like an old Els - he turns 39 in two weeks - as he recorded only five top 10s in 16 starts.

2: Adam Scott: Granted, an injured wrist weeks before the US Open set him back, but that doesn't fully explain him falling short of expectations once again. When will he contend in a Major?

3: Charles Howell III: He was supposed to be American's next young sensation. Howell, who has won only two tournaments since turning pro in 2000, will be 30 next June.

Best Rookie

Anders Romero: Clearly, as the victory in New Orleans showed, his performance in the 2007 Open Championship was no fluke.

2: Chez Reavie: The only other newcomer with a win (Canadian Open).

3: Kevin Streelman: If he had converted the putt on the 72nd hole, he would have been in the playoff at the Barclays with Singh and Garcia.

Question to ponder for 2009

Will Woods be both the Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year?

Michael Arkush / Yahoo! Sports / Eurosport