The World Golf Hall of Fame announced today at the BMW PGA Championship that two-time Masters Champion José Maria Olazábal will be part of the 2009 Class of Inductees. Elected on the International Ballot, Olazábal will enter the Hall of Fame along with previously announced inductees Lanny Wadkins and Christy O’Connor at the annual Induction Ceremony on Monday, November 2 in St. Augustine, Florida.
José Maria Olazábal said: “I am delighted with this news. Only a small group of people are privileged to be in the World Golf Hall of Fame and I have a huge respect for all the players already there.
“They are all great players who have achieved so much, and to have a little square plaque there with my name on it makes me feel very special. I am particularly happy to follow Seve’s footsteps into the Hall of Fame. He opened so many doors for us and we owe him a huge debt.
“There are huge, huge players in the Hall of Fame, legends such as Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and many, many other greats. I am just thrilled that I am going to be just a little part of this.”
Olazábal will become the second Spaniard in the Hall of Fame, joining his friend Seve Ballesteros, who was inducted in 1999. Ninety-one percent of the International Ballots mailed out were returned and Olazábal was chosen on 56 percent of the returned ballots. A complete list of percentages for the 2009 International Ballot Candidates is below.
George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “Two words spring immediately to mind when reflecting on the wonderful career of José Maria Olazábal…courage and determination.
“On the world’s fairways, José Maria has exhibited both those attributes under pressure on his way to winning two Masters Tournaments and 23 European Tour titles, while on a personal level, he displayed remarkable fortitude in battling back from a grave illness to capture that second Green Jacket in 1999.
“Among José Maria’s many other qualities we can add panache and flair, allied to a deep understanding of the history and traditions of the game. His arrival on the golfing scene was a breath of fresh air, displaying a Spanish passion and love for the sport, which was exemplified by his spontaneous victory jig on the 18th green at Muirfield Village in 1987 after Europe’s first Ryder Cup success on American soil.
“That year represented the start of a momentous Ryder Cup partnership with Seve Ballesteros which is still the most successful in the event’s history – played 15, won 11, halved 2. José Maria’s induction to the World Golf Hall of Fame is richly deserved and all of us at The European Tour convey our congratulations and best wishes to one of our most outstanding champions.”
Since turning professional in 1985, Olazábal has enjoyed much international success, winning the 1994 and 1999 Masters Tournaments, plus 21 European Tour and four additional PGA TOUR titles. He also won in Japan twice.
Olazábal has represented Europe on seven Ryder Cup teams: 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1999 and 2006, and served as assistant captain to Hall of Fame member Nick Faldo in 2008. He played on the 1989 and 2000 World Cup teams.
In his rookie season, Olazábal finished second on The European Tour Order of Merit and became the first Spaniard to receive the Tour’s Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award in 1986. His impressive amateur career included defeating Colin Montgomerie to win the 1984 Amateur Championship at the age of 18.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome José Maria into the World Golf Hall of Fame,” said Jack Peter, Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the World Golf Hall of Fame. “His tremendous achievements on the course, his flair and passion for the game represent the hallmarks of a true champion. He also is one of the game's greatest gentlemen and ambassadors. We look forward to his Induction this coming November.”
The final announcement for the 2009 Class of Inductees will be scheduled in the coming weeks.
The 2009 World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. on Monday, November 2.
For more information about the World Golf Hall of Fame, visitwww.wgv.com. World Golf Hall of Fame also can be found on Facebook.
About the Induction Process
There are five avenues for a player or contributor to enter the World Golf Hall of Fame: PGA TOUR Ballot, International Ballot, LPGA Point System, Lifetime Achievement Category and Veterans Category.
Various criteria is set up for players to be eligible for the PGA TOUR and International ballots, including an age requirement of at least 40 years old and a necessary performance that includes a substantial amount of regular tournament victories and majors.
The LPGA Point System requires a player to be an active member of the LPGA Tour for 10 years, acquire a cumulative 27 points based on LPGA tournament wins and to have won either an LPGA major tournament, Vare Trophy or Rolex Player of the Year honors, plus a number of other tournament victories.
Nominations for the Lifetime Achievement category are made by members of the International Voting Body. The category is designed for any male or female supporter of the sport whose primary role in the game has come outside the playing arena. The World Golf Foundation Board of Directors decides this category each year.
Any male or female professional or amateur who played the bulk of his/her career more than 30 years ago and may not have received proper recognition is eligible for selection through the Veterans Category. The World Golf Foundation Board of Directors also decides this category each year.
2009 International Candidates Results
Jose Maria Olazabal 56%
Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki 40%
Sandy Lyle 33%
Colin Montgomerie 27%
Peter Alliss 20%
Graham Marsh 20%
Christy O’Connor, Sr. 18%
Ian Woosnam 16%
Norman von Nida 15%
Max Faulkner 6%
Darren Clarke 4%
Craig Parry 1%
2009 PGA TOUR Candidates Results
Lanny Wadkins 61%
Doug Ford 46%
Mark O'Meara 31%
Davis Love III 27%
Ken Venturi 26%
Fred Couples 22%
Macdonald Smith 20%
Tony Lema 19%
Fuzzy Zoeller 14%
Don January 13%
Dave Stockton 10%
Miller Barber 10%
Harold (Jug) McSpaden 8%
Jay Haas 3%
Kenny Perry 1%
About World Golf Hall of Fame
World Golf Hall of Fame, located at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida, honors and celebrates golf’s greatest players and contributors. A World Golf Foundation initiative, the Hall of Fame represents collaboration among 26 national and international golf organizations, including the PGA TOUR, LPGA, USGA, Augusta National, PGA of America, The European Tour and The R&A. The museum houses interactive exhibits and historic and personal artifacts that tell the stories of its members and the game of golf. For more information, visitwww.wgv.com.
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As sole founding partner of World Golf Hall of Fame, The First Tee and World Golf Village, Shell Oil Company provides financial support and plays the lead role in charitable initiatives aimed at introducing golf to young people, and through the golf experience promotes scholastic achievement, community service and those values intrinsic to the game of golf: honesty, integrity and sportsmanship.
