Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - There were 26 winners on the Nationwide Tour during the 2008 season, including four players who won twice.

Among the two-time winners was Matt Bettencourt, who came on strong at the end of the year to claim the Nationwide Tour Championship and the season-long money title.

It turned a middling season into a good season for Bettencourt, but wasn't enough to earn him our designation as the Nationwide Tour Player of the Year.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Brendon de Jonge

De Jonge wasn't among those who won twice in 2008, but he had perhaps the steadiest season among the top players on tour this year, holding the money lead until Bettencourt snatched it away from him in the final week.

The 28-year-old from Zimbabwe compiled nine top-10 finishes and seven top- fives, including a win at the Xerox Classic, which netted him $108,000 first- place check.

Greg Chalmers was the only player with more top-10s -- he had 10 -- but he couldn't touch De Jonge's top-fives and he finished with $115,000 less in earnings.

De Jonge's win at the Xerox Classic in August, where he set the tournament scoring record, was his first victory on the Nationwide Tour.

"It was as hard as I thought it was going to be," he said afterwards. "But obviously, very satisfying right now."

TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR - "I didn't know whether to cry or jump up and down."

Drama at the end of a tournament is not uncommon. But when it comes near the end of the season, it can be exhilarating.

D.A. Points trailed Bettencourt by a shot heading to the final hole of the Miccosukee Championship, the second-to-last tournament of the year, before he holed out for an eagle at No. 18. Bettencourt, for good measure, rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt to force a playoff that Points eventually won with a birdie at the same hole.

Points, who finished 16th on the money list, probably wouldn't have earned his PGA Tour card without the victory, which netted him $112,000. And he wouldn't have won the tournament without that sand-wedge eagle at the 18th.

"It was the perfect number for me, but when it was in the air you never really knew if it was going to be good or not," said Points. "When the cheering got louder I didn't know whether to cry or jump up and down. I was excited, but Matt still had an opportunity to tie me. He made a great putt."

SHOT OF THE YEAR - "Attitude is an amazing thing."

While Points' shot got him into a playoff, what Bill Lunde did several weeks earlier was even more exciting.

Lunde bogeyed the 15th and 16th holes to lose a two-shot lead in the final round of the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational. He parred the 17th to cling to a share of that lead.

Then, seeking his first Nationwide Tour win, Lunde chipped in for a birdie at the 18th to beat Dustin Bray by a shot. Not bad for a guy who left professional golf in 2006 out of frustration.

"Attitude is an amazing thing," said Lunde. "When you come out with a different outlook, things happen positively. It was never talent. It was whether I could stay positive out there."

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Won Joon Lee

Lee gets the nod more for what he could mean to the Nationwide Tour than for his performance in 2008, although he did have a fine season.

The tour's second-youngest player at 23, Lee was born in South Korea but raised in Australia -- an Asian with an Aussie accent. He earned five top-10s and won $137,695 to finish 50th on the money list

Perhaps more interesting than his ethnic makeup -- and a combo that makes him a potential target for sponsors -- is the fact that Lee led the Nationwide Tour in driving distance at 315.7 yards.

He outdrove the PGA Tour's biggest bomber, Bubba Watson, by .6 yards on average.

GOOD YEAR

Bettencourt, Jeff Klauk, Jarrod Lyle and Lunde: Along with De Jonge, they made up the top five players on the money list, combining for seven wins and more than $2 million in earnings. Bettencourt and Lyle were among the four players who won twice.

Colt Knost: After winning the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links in 2007, Knost claimed two victories and finished sixth on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2008.

Chalmers: Posted a tour-best 10 top-10 finishes, but won only once. His victory was also his only placement in the top-three all season.

Scott Piercy: Although Piercy was one of the four two-time winners, he finished ninth on the money list. Only made 19 starts (compared to Bettencourt's 29).

BAD YEAR

Tom Carter started nearly every week -- playing 27 tournaments out of 30 -- yet only made eight cuts, while never placing inside the top 10. Finished a dreadful 136th on the money list despite his continuous presence, taking home $26,028.