Padraig becomes a major player

THE new European Tour season starts in China on Thursday with the HSBC Champions event and the start of The Race to Dubai.

PADRAIG S PUCKER Harrington won his second sucessive Open title PADRAIG'S PUCKER: Harrington won his second sucessive Open title

Before the old one – which ended on Sunday night with Robert Karlsson winning the Order of Merit at Valderrama – is forgotten, there is just time for On The Tee to dish out its annual awards. 

Player of the season – Padraig Harrington

A second successive Open and the man to end the European drought at the USPGA Championship – worthy rewards for a consummate pro. 

Shot of the season – Padraig Harrington

His five wood to three feet at Birkdale’s remodelled 17th, drilled with a surgeon’s accuracy, drove a dagger into the hearts of his rivals and kept the Claret Jug as a ladybird receptacle in Ireland.

My God, what’s he doing up there?

Greg Norman

Putt of the season – Ian Poulter

Steely 15-footer for par at the 18th could have been for The Open but for what came later from Harrington. His consolation was that it earned him a place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

Best performance – Tiger Woods

Who else could win a US Open on a fractured leg with serious knee ligament damage? One of the great exhibitions of mental strength from any sportsman in any era.

Worst let-down – Justin Rose

A promising year on the back of a stellar 2007 ended up with Rose missing the Major boat and shooting 161 for two rounds at the Volvo Masters. Not good enough for someone who turned over Phil Mickelson at the Ryder Cup.

Crazy horse – Boo Weekley

Riding his driver down the first in his own one-man Kentucky Derby at Valhalla inked in Weekley as America’s basket case-in-chief. The landscape would be a duller one without him. 

Most promising newcomer – Anthony Kim

The theatrics grated at Valhalla, but his wipeout of Sergio Garcia was an emphatic statement of America’s dominance. He will light up the European Tour next season.

Sad farewell – Annika Sorenstam

Swede Sorenstam, 38, bids farewell to professional golf to start a family shortly. She leaves as she arrived having notched victory No89 of her career at the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open at the weekend. 

Biggest splash – joint winners Lorena Ochoa and Richard Finch

Ochoa’s leap into Poppies Pond at Rancho Mirage with 25 members of her entourage after winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship brought synchronised swimming to golf. But that was matched by Finch’s third shot to the 18th at the Irish Open, ending with the ball on the green and the Englishman in the River Maigue on his way to a two-stroke win.

Worst driver – Colin Montgomerie

He managed to survive a spectacular head-on collision with Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx in a golf buggy race at Goodwood, but the wreckage of his season was harder to take. Only the R&A’s decision to extend Open entry to the top 30 in the Order of Merit has kept him in the field for Turnberry. 

Surprise of the season – Lee Westwood

Near-miss at the US Open, but he never won a tournament. The reason lies in his putting statistics, which saw him outside the top 100 on the European Tour.

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