Eligibility: Age 45, 15 Tour Wins, or 2 Major Titles Required
Nicklaus, Palmer, Woods Among Legendary Inductees
Induction Requires Over 75% of Selection Committee Votes
McIlroy, Inbee Park, Lydia Ko Awaiting Enshrinement
Golfers dream. While competing on tour, they pour all their energy into winning. Claiming victory at major tournaments such as the Masters or the US Women's Open is even more rewarding. Ultimately, the final goal is to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Of course, it is not easy to enter. Legends such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, Payne Stewart, Tiger Woods (all from the United States), Gary Player (South Africa), Nick Faldo (England), Bernhard Langer (Germany), Seve Ballesteros (Spain), Annika Sorenstam (Sweden), Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Patty Berg, Nancy Lopez, Juli Inkster (all from the United States), and Laura Davies (England) have been inducted. Former U.S. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush were also inducted as contributors.
Tiger Woods is taking a commemorative photo with his family at the 2022 World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
The "Emperor of Golf," Tiger Woods, was selected for induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021. He is a living legend who has achieved a record-tying 82 career wins on the PGA Tour, including 15 major championships. He was inducted ahead of the 2022 edition of The Players Championship, known as the "fifth major." His mother Kultida, daughter Sam, and son Charlie attended the induction ceremony.
The World Golf Hall of Fame first opened its doors in 1974 in Pinehurst, North Carolina, United States. The Hall of Fame and its museum honor the greatest players and contributors in the history of golf. Professionals and amateurs, architects, journalists, teachers, and figures from various fields have been enshrined. The Hall of Fame now operates in three categories: male players, female players, and contributors.
The legends inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame are smiling brightly and posing. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
The selection criteria for male players require at least 15 victories on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), Sunshine Tour, Asian Tour, or PGA Tour of Australasia, or at least two wins at the Masters, The Players Championship, US Open, The Open, or PGA Championship. Players must be at least 45 years old in the year of induction or have been retired from active competition for at least three years.
For female players, the criteria are a total of at least 15 official wins on tours included in the Rolex World Rankings-such as the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour (LET), Japan LPGA (JLPGA) Tour, Korea LPGA (KLPGA) Tour, or Australian Ladies Professional Golf-or at least two wins at the US Women's Open, LPGA Championship, AIG Women's Open, KPMG Women's PGA Championship, or Amundi Evian Championship.
Candidates who meet the eligibility requirements are discussed by a subcommittee, which recommends five candidates per category. A separate selection committee of 16 members then votes. Final induction requires at least 75% of the votes.
Rory McIlroy, who achieved a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters this year, has early secured his place in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
The list of future inductees is just as illustrious. Among male players, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who is 36 years old this year, is simply waiting for his time. He has 29 wins on the PGA Tour and 20 on the DP World Tour. In April, he won the Masters, completing the career Grand Slam.
Justin Rose of England is on the verge of Hall of Fame induction, having turned 45 this year. He holds the record for most PGA Tour wins by an English golfer, with 12 victories. In August, he won the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He also claimed the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has 11 DP World Tour wins, and received the Payne Stewart Award in 2021.
Jordan Spieth of the United States is also an essential candidate. He has 13 PGA Tour wins and swept the Masters, US Open, and The Open from 2015 to 2017. If he wins the PGA Championship, he will have captured all four major titles. Other strong candidates include current world number one Scottie Scheffler (United States), Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm (Spain), Adam Scott (Australia), and Sergio Garcia (Spain).
Inbee Park achieved a career Golden Slam by winning the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Photo by Yonhap News
Among female players, Inbee Park has secured her place at the top. She has accumulated 21 LPGA Tour wins, including seven major championships. She won the US Women's Open at age 18 and achieved a career Golden Slam by adding a gold medal at the Rio Olympics. At 27, she was already inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame. After giving birth to her second child last year, she has not competed since the 2022 AIG Women's Open. Recently, she was appointed as a board member and executive committee member of the International Golf Federation (IGF).
Lydia Ko of New Zealand has 23 LPGA Tour wins, including three majors, and won the gold medal at last year's Paris Olympics. After her victory in Paris, she became the youngest inductee into the LPGA Hall of Fame. Her induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame is all but certain. Other candidates include former world number one Nelly Korda (United States), Ko Jin-young, Brooke Henderson representing Canada, and Suzann Pettersen (Sweden).
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