2008 LPGA Tour Year In Review

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The 2008 LPGA Tour season saw 17 winners, six new events, a new drug testing policy, a language controversy and a retiring Hall of Famer.

Six players won more than once, but only one of them cruised to another Player of the Year honor.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Lorena Ochoa

Ochoa also garnered her third consecutive Player of the Year award from the LPGA, which she may have earned before the season even turned to summer by winning five of her first six starts.

The Mexican star ended the season with seven victories -- bringing her career total to 24 -- while posting 13 top-five finishes and 17 top-10s in her 22 starts. Her wins included another major, her second, at the Kraft Nabisco Championship and nearly $2.8 million in earnings.

The only thing going against Ochoa was a middle-of-the-season drought that extended from her win at the Sybase Classic on May 18 to her victory at the Navistar LPGA Classic on Sept. 28.

Still, no one else approached her overall level of dominance. Paula Creamer came closest, winning four times and collecting more than $1.8 million, while Annika Sorenstam claimed three wins early on before announcing her retirement.

TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR - Let us explain.

If the Michelob Ultra Open ends up being the last career win for Sorenstam, you'll all agree that it was fitting we named it Tournament of the Year.

It wasn't just that Sorenstam won, it was how she won -- rolling to a seven- shot victory while smashing the tournament scoring record. It marked her third win in eight events to start the season, finally giving us hope that Sorenstam was back in full form.

We started to think about a tour with both Sorenstam and Ochoa -- and Creamer, for that matter -- battling each other for victories. But just like that, the sentiment faded.

Sorenstam announced her retirement days later. She didn't win again.

SHOT OF THE YEAR - 'Holy shhhhhh-nikeys!'

Sorenstam holed out for an eagle at the 72nd hole of the U.S. Women's Open, using a six-iron from 200 yards. Playing partner Cristie Kerr hugged her twice, then nearly gave network censors a heart attack.

"Holy shhhhhh-nikeys!" Kerr yelled, nearly cursing but holding off when she realized that there was a TV camera in her face.

More than any other tournament, the U.S. Women's Open helped define Sorenstam's Hall of Fame career. It's where she won her first tournament in 1995 -- she won again in 1996 -- and the eagle was a perfect send-off.

Her reaction was as priceless as Kerr's: "How ironic," she sighed. Ironic, indeed, because the hole-out meant Sorenstam avoided shooting 80 in what could be her final round at the U.S. Women's Open.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - No contest.

If all Yani Tseng did was post five runner-up finishes, collect 10 top-10s and earn more than $1.7 million to finish third on the money list, she would have been an easy selection for Rookie of the Year.

But Tseng did more than that. The 19-year-old from Taiwan also claimed her first major championship at the 2008 McDonald's LPGA Championship, beating Maria Hjorth in a playoff to become the 21st player to make the tournament her first major win.

All of it helped Tseng climb to No. 2 in the world rankings behind Ochoa -- and ahead of Sorenstam.

GOOD YEAR

Creamer had four wins, seven top-fives and 15 top-10s to finish second on the money list and fourth in the world rankings. But, with eight career victories before the age of 23, she's already having trouble dodging the "Best Woman Never to Have Won a Major" tag.

Sorenstam ended her career with 72 LPGA Tour wins, including three this season -- provided she doesn't come back, which she might. She grabbed 10 top-10s in her final year and won more than $1.7 million.

Na Yeon Choi came closest to challenging Tseng for Rookie of the Year honors, collecting a pair of runner-ups and nine top-10s while winning over $1 million in her first season.

Helen Alfredsson, Seon-Hwa Lee and Angela Stanford joined Ochoa, Creamer and Sorenstam as the tour's only multiple winners in 2008. All three of them won twice.

BAD YEAR

Just two years ago, Pat Hurst found herself in a Monday playoff with Annika Sorenstam at the U.S. Women's Open. Formerly a top-10 golfer, she missed nine cuts in 25 starts this season and posted just one top-10 while making $252,189.

Natalie Gulbis was unable to build on her first career win at the 2007 Evian Masters, suffering through a middling 2008 season that saw her make just 14 of 20 cuts while placing inside the top 10 only once. She finished just ahead of Hurst on the money list with $266,237.