Jan. 4: The season got off to a controversial start when Golf Channel announcer Kelly Tilghman and analyst Nick Faldo were discussing who would challenge Tiger Woods. Tilghman said the young players should "lynch him in a back alley." She was suspended for two weeks, then apologized on the air. Woods said he was not offended by the comment.

Feb. 21: Drug testing began with the LPGA at the Fields Open in Hawaii. It took hours at times, and the LPGA later said it was a trial run. After switching companies to administer the test, the LPGA started testing in May. The PGA began in July.

May 13: After 72 wins and 10 majors on the LPGA Tour, Annika Sorenstam announced she was taking a break from competition. She said she planned to focus on business ventures and start a family. "This is obviously a very difficult decision for me to make because I love this game very much," said Sorenstam, who turned 38 in October. "But I know it's the right one. I have other priorities in my life. I have a lot of dreams that I want to follow."

June 16: Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif., defeating Greensburg native Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole playoff. Woods won the second major of the season on a wobbly left knee and a few days later announced he would have surgery and end his season. The U.S. Open was his 14th major title. "I think this is probably the best ever," Woods said. "All things considered, I don't know how I ended up in this position, to be honest with you."

July 10: Former PGA pro Mike Souchak died at 81. He was best known professionally for the 1955 Texas Open, when he shot a four-round total of 27 under.

July 20: The British Open was interesting for two reasons: 1) Tiger Woods wasn't there. 2) Greg Norman was. Norman, 53, hadn't seriously contended in years, but there he was, in the lead Sunday. He eventually tied for third six shots behind winner Padraig Harrington. Harrington also claimed the PGA Championship a month later and temporarily has taken Woods' place as the tour's best big-tournament player.

Aug. 20: LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens told players she would impose an English proficiency standard beginning next year and player privileges would be revoked for noncompliance. The rule was aimed at Koreans after sponsors complained they could not carry on a conversation during pro-ams. The LPGA backed off a month later after much criticism, but Bivens said she would still like to see programs in place to help foreign tour members converse in English.

Sept. 21: For the first time since 1999, Americans took the Ryder Cup at Valhalla Country Club in Kentucky. The team won without Tiger Woods with grinders such as Boo Weekley, Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk producing a five-point victory, the largest margin for the United States over Europe since 1981. Paul Azinger was praised for his role as captain. Corey Pavin will captain the U.S. team in 2010.

Nov. 14: J.P. Hayes disqualified himself from a second-stage PGA Tour qualifying tournament in Texas after he discovered he had used a nonconforming ball for one hole in the first round. Not until after the second round did Hayes realize the ball was a demo and likely not approved by the USGA. He called a tournament official that said if a check with Titleist confirmed the ball was not approved, Hayes would be disqualified. Hayes, 43, is not eligible for the PGA Tour next season. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and this is going to be a bad nightmare," he said.

Dec. 7: After seven years as a part-time player in LPGA and PGA events, Michelle Wie, 19, earned full-time status on the LPGA Tour when she finished tied for seventh at Q-school in Daytona Beach, Fla. She will play on the LPGA Tour full time in 2009. "It feels good to get that card. It's like high school graduation," Wie said.

All season: John Daly embarrassed himself throughout 2008. At the PODS Championship in March, he spent a weather delay in the Hooters corporate tent, employed Tampa Bay Buccaneers football coach Jon Gruden as his caddie, shot 77-80 and headed back to the Hooters tent for more fun, which prompted coach Butch Harmon to drop him as a client. A week later he missed his pro-am tee time and was disqualified from the Arnold Palmer Invitational. In October he passed out at a North Carolina Hooters and was detained 24 hours to sober up. And just for good measure, Daly, 42, smashed a spectator's camera at the Australian Masters because he thought the man was taking pictures too close to him. Nice year.