I have achieved more than I ever thought I could, I cannot ask for anymore, I have given it all from start to finish.
"The time is right," admitted Annika Sorenstam who bowed out of golf at the age of 38 with 89 career titles to her name including 10 major championships.
The Swede, who signed off at the Dubai Ladies Masters with a final hole birdie, admitted the decision was tinged with sadness but felt it was the correct time to go.
"I have achieved more than I ever thought I could," she said. "I cannot ask for anymore, I have given it all from start to finish."
Former Ryder Cup captain and two-time Major champion Tony Jacklin was honoured at the PGA Annual Luncheon for his outstanding contribution to golf.
More than 800 guests showed they still loved the 64-year-old by watching him receive the PGA Recognition Award at London's Grosvenor House.
America's Corey Pavin, nicknamed the Bulldog' was named as successor to Paul Azinger to captain the States in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor Resort in 2010.
"Going over there, we are going to have a very pro-European crowd, and it's going to be tough," he said.
December was also peppered with a flurry of team activity from the World Cup in China to the PGA National Pro-Am Championship in Turkey.
Flying the flag for world golf were Swedish pair Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson who captured the World Cup at Mission Hills, pipping the Spanish pairing of Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabel.
Enjoying an early Christmas present was Forest Pines pro Dan Greenwood who added the PGA National Pro-Am Championship to his CV with help from 19-year-old sports science student James Phillips.
The duo stormed to victory at Turkey's Antalya Golf Club with a second round 10-under-par 61 over the Dave Jones-designed PGA Sultan. It put them three shots ahead of Ashbourne pair John Dwyer and Shane O'Brien.
"I've played in this for seven or eight years and never had a sniff so this is a dream come true," said Greenwood.
In women's golf the International team secured victory at the Lexus Cup for the first time in three years with a 12½-11½ victory over Team Asia at the Singapore Island Country Club.
Last-minute stand-in Jonathan Lupton (Middlesbrough Golf Club) carded another top 10 finish Down Under when he competed in the Crown Lager PGA National Futures Championship.
On the coaching front Bob Torrance picked up two accolades. First the Largs-based coach was honoured with PGA Master Professional status and then received the UK Sports Coaching award for golf coach of the year. John Jacobs was presented with a lifetime achievement award at the Dorchester ceremony.
Also gaining PGA Master Professional status were former Curtis and Solheim Cup captain Mickey Walker, Colin Clingan (Windmill Hill GC) and Scottish Golf Union Coach Ian Rae.
Former Curtis Cup star Fiona Brown was unveiled as one of three regional coaches tasked with developing golf in England. The 34-year-old joined John Stoszkowski and Justyn Branton in being tasked with overseeing implementation of the National Club Coaching Programme.
Michelle Wie went back to basics after her Tour grades necessitated a return to Q-School. The talented Hawaiian teenager admitted it was 'weird' but proved her worth by gaining her Tour card. "It's like high school graduation, I guess," she said.
Also earning a 'must do better' report was Colin Montgomerie who at the PGA Scottish luncheon, where he was honoured for his services to golf north of the border, outlined his major ambitions for the coming year. "I've got to get going - I've got to get back to where I was," said the 45-year-old.
Former PGA Cup player Andrew Baguley served up a career best for nine holes at Royal Liverpool by covering the outward half in nine-under-par. "I suppose it was just one of those days and you could say I played from memory," said the 45-year-old.
Tour winners in December included Henrik Stenson (Nedbank Challenge), Geoff Ogilvy (Australian PGA), Tim Clark (Australian Open) and Richard Sterne who won twice at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and South African Open.
30 December, 2008 | The PGA