As ever the 2009 PGA tournament schedule threw up a rollercoaster of emotions with plenty of thrills and spills as pros chased titles from Bull Bay to Bahrain.
PGA.info casts an eye over the winners, from Alex Belt's season opening victory to the Turkish delight of Far Grange Park duo Darren Leng and Phill Killey in the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship.
The bonny banks of Loch Lomond provided the backdrop to the eagerly awaited ding-dong of the year - the PGA Cup.
With Gary Alliss again at the helm for GB&I, revenge was on the mind when the US came to town to defend the trophy at The Carrick at Loch Lomond.
Optimism had been high, but a rout in the final day singles of 8½ to 1½ in the US's favour saw the Llandudno Trophy jetting back across the pond with the Americans winning 17½ to 8½ .
Scotland also played host to the PGA's blue chip event - the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.
The sublime but imposing Dundonald Links staged the championship, which saw 156 of the PGA's best players go head-to-head for the title. Windswept and sodden, it was as much a battle of wits with Mother Nature as it was with the course.
Coming out on top was Caerphilly's James Lee (above), who finished four shots clear of Jamie Harris (Nevill) with the resolute Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park) third. Former Walker Cup player Jeremy Robinson completed the top four.
In the women's event, Tracy Loveys captured the crown for the second successive year winning with a 13 shot margin.
The search for the PGA No.1 player of 2009 was decided at Little Aston as it staged the Srixon PGA Play-Offs.
Wessex Golf Centre's Michael Watson (pictured) took the plaudits with a stunning finish to his 36 holes - six birdies in seven holes - to claim the crown and entry to some of the European Tour's richest events in 2010.
The opening tournament of the year had been the Gulf Air International Pro-Captain Challenge supported by BMW.
This had been held over from 2008 to enable it to be played on the newly-opened Montgomerie Course at Bahrain's Royal Golf Club. Two days of competition saw Bush Hill Park pro Lee Fickling and captain Martin Dench take the title in February.
Eight months later and Millbrook's Rob Brightman and captain Martin Steele ruled the roost in Bahrain, which was hosting the event for the fifth and final time.
The first event on home soil was the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Welsh Open Young PGA Professional Championship at Bull Bay - one of three RCW2010 events.
The Anglesey course again provided a stern test which saw Bridlington Links' Alex Belt (above) take the title following a sudden-death play-off with Hindhead's Ben Clayton. Belt, who had been feeling unwell throughout the tournament, attributed his success to a putting mat in his bedroom.
Next up in the Principality was the Welsh Open PGA Championship at Marriott St Pierre. The July event was hampered by rain, which saw an entire day's play lost and the final two rounds played on the third scheduled day.
Triumphing was Garstang's Will Barnes, who sent out a timely reminder of his prowess ahead of his PGA Cup bow.
The final event of the Cymru triumvirate was the Welsh National PGA Championship at Ashburnham in September. Three days of action ended in drama with a six-hole play-off between Jason Powell, Calvin O'Carroll and Matt Dearden.
Powell, born and raised in Wales but based at Hinckley in Leicestershire, eventually triumphed. The victory also secured his place in the Welsh team for the International Team Championships alongside James Lee and Andrew Barnett.
The Senior PGA Professional Championship took centre stage in May with George Ryall (pictured) taking the plaudits on his debut in the 50-and-over event at Northants County. Defending champion Bill Lockie finished second.
In the De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall, the £250,000 tournament was won by Carl Mason. The European Senior Tour record money winner claimed the title for the third time in seven years.
In the PGA Super 60s, which was played at Blackwell, last year's runner-up Graham Burroughs triumphed alongside Robert Hubbard to take the trophy to Boyce Hill.
But it was far from plain-sailing as they did it the hard way beating former Teignmouth professional Peter Ward and his partner Ian Turner in play-off after they were tied after a regulation 36 holes.
At the other end of the golfing spectrum, Jonathan Lupton (right) ensured he would be remembered as one of the best players in the history of the Powerade PGA Assistants' Championship in association with FootJoy.
The north east professional, head pro at Close House Hotel, won the title for the second time in three years - having finished second in his other attempt. Defending champion Guy Woodman (East Berkshire) was second.
In the Crown Golf English PGA Assistants' Championship, Spaldington's Paul Bradshaw avoided the deer at Hampton Court, to set up victory with a seven-under-par 64 course record.
In the team events, Irish eyes were smiling at Lincolnshire's Forest Pines as Dublin-based Stuart Taylor (The Island) and Pat Devine (Royal Dublin), with just three years professional service between them, secured a three-stroke success in the SkyCaddie PGA Fourball Championshipsupported by Sunderland.
The curtain came down in Turkey with the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship.
For the first time in its three years at Antalya Golf Club a play-off was needed with Far Grange Park pro Darren Leng and partner Phill Killey (pictured on right) claiming victory over Thurlestone pro Peter Laugher and amateur Harry Millburn-Fryer at the second extra hole.
By the conclusion of that final putt more than £500,000 of prize money had been won during the year.
23 December, 2009 | Lee McLaughlan