HIGHS AND LOWS THE BEST AND WORST OF 2008

Philip Reidexamines the high points and the low points of 2008

Foot in mouth

The biggest gaffe of the year came off the course, with the LPGA in the US making plans for an "English only" language policy that was scheduled to be introduced in2009.

After a year in which three South Korean players won majors, the proposed policy would have suspended players who didn't have an adequate level of spoken English.

However, the proposed plan was widely criticised - by tour players and politicians - as being discriminatory and the LPGA backtracked and dropped the proposal.

Double Vision

Identical 13-year-old twins Leona and Lisa Maguire from Ballyconnell in Co Cavan continued their trend-setting in the ladies' ranks, not just in Ireland but in Europe. Leona beat Lisa in the final of the Irish Women's Championship and, then, Lisa beat Leona in the final of the Irish Girls' Championship.

For good measure, Lisa also won the European Young Masters' Girls' Championship. . . with Leona finishing in second place.

River-dancing

England's Richard Finch made more than one splash on his way to winning the Irish Open at Adare Manor. Although he had a three-shot lead playing the 18th, Finch's eventual victory was not without its hazards as his second shot finished up on the riverbank. Then, after hitting his third, Finch slid into the River Maigue, but managed to keep his eye on the ball and saw it land on the green.

"It was a bit of an awkward stance, but I never gave falling in a thought. The momentum of the follow-through took me round and in."

Shot of the Year

Pádraig Harrington's five-wood approach to the 17th in the final round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale to set up an eagle. He had 220 yards to the front - 249 yards to the pin - and, even though the ball was on a downslope, he convinced himself the hanging lie would help.

"I said, 'this is great, it is going to come out low so I can't get it in the air (and into trouble)'," he recalled. "Once I hit it, I knew it was perfect."

The ball bounced over a bunker short of the green and used the green's nuanced contours to finish within three feet of the flag.

Irish eyes are smiling

The 2008 PGA European Tour campaign was one of unprecedented success for Ireland's tour card carrying players. Apart from Pádraig Harrington winning two majors (the British Open and the US PGA), there were also double successes for Graeme McDowell (Ballantines championship and Barclays Scottish Open) and Darren Clarke (BMW Asian Open and KLM Open), along with breakthrough career wins for Damien McGrane (Volvo China Open) and Peter Lawrie (Spanish Open).

Not your average golfer

Boo Weekley - christened Thomas, but known to all and sundry as Boo after the character Boo Boo in the Yogi Bear cartoon - is once reputed to have fought (and lost) to an orang-utan as a teenager at a county fair.

He has also wrestled alligators in his time.

And he brought more than his game to the Ryder Cup in Louisville.

Aside from emerging unbeaten in the match, Weekley brought his share of belly laughs, especially in doing a "Happy Gilmore" impersonation when he went off the first tee in his singles match with Oliver Wilson, galloping down the fairway astride his driver.

Putt of the Year . . . x 3

On three occasions on the 18th green at the US Open at Torrey Pines, Tiger Woods had to make clutch putts in what would be his last outing of the season. Not that we knew it at the time.

On the Saturday, he holed an eagle putt that gave him the 54-hole lead. On the Sunday, he holed a birdie putt that put him into a play-off the following day (with Rocco Mediate). And, on the Monday, he sank another birdie putt that took the match to sudden death. Of course, he won.

He left with the 14th major of his career, and a doctor's appointment for knee surgery.