For Your Consideration: David Graham In The WGHOF

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Dave Shedloski catches up with David Graham, who has fallen off the World Golf Hall of Fame ballot even though he has two majors and 25 worldwide wins, not to mention all-important-to-Commissioner-Loyalty, a Presidents Cup captaincy.

"It's hurtful," Graham, 66, said of his omission from the Hall of Fame. "When you have a record that should mean something and it doesn't, you have to wonder what's going on."

Graham isn't even on the Hall of Fame ballot, having fallen off in 2000 after failing to garner five percent of the vote in consecutive years. His only avenue to Hall inclusion is the veteran's category -- the route through which Ken Venturi will be inducted in May with Couples, Montgomerie, former European Tour executive director Ken Schofield and Willie Park Jr., who won two Open Championships in the late 1880s.

Couples To WGHOF Critic: “I can understand Raymond's point.”

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Alex Miceli caught up with Fred Couples and asked him about Ray Floyd's criticism of lowered standards for Hall of Fame entry. As you can imagine, Couples took it in stride and also made a case for two-time major winners Andy North and John Daly.

More interesting to me was Nick Faldo validating Floyd's criticism.

“I know you're voted to get in, but you've got to cross the line of two majors, 20 wins and you're 40 years old, so there's a few factual things about it, then you can be considered,” Hall-of-Famer Nick Faldo said in agreeing with Floyd's comments. “In theory if you've done your two majors and 20 wins, you don't need a committee.”

Monty's Induction Sparking Outrage?

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I certainly agree with all of Gary Williams' points about the World Golf Hall of Fame voting and criteria, though I'm a little surprised at the outrage expressed on Twitter over Colin Montgomerie's selection when he at least has on-course successes to point to.

It's the cronyism and overall oy factor behind selections like George H. Bush and now Ken Schofield that I find detrimental to the Hall's street cred.

For those who will scream that no criteria will create total chaos I would point to every other Hall of Fame. Outside of removal from the game for a certain number of years there are no benchmarks that players must hit for eligibility. Many things about golf are not analogous to other sports but in this case it most certainly is and leave it up to the voters to know, or at least feel, when it's time for a player to take his place in St. Augustine.

For the Monty skeptics, Daniel Wexler takes a closer look at his record and can't even get excited about the "superhuman" order of merit success cited by George O'Grady.

Third, while one can surely only beat the competition that's put in front of them, a quick glance inside Monty's halcyon 1993-1999 run indicates that in winning his seven straight Orders of Merit, he averaged exactly 20 official E Tour starts per season.  And what of his primary competition?  Jose Maria Olazabal was next with an average of 18 annual starts - but that's not including the 1995 and '96 campaigns which he missed entirely due to injury.  Seve Ballesteros averaged 17.2 E Tour starts during these years, but was clearly well beyond his elite form before Monty's run even began.  Ian Woosnam also averaged 17.2 starts in this period, while Bernhard Langer weighed in at 16.7.  And then there was Sir Nick Faldo, who was also somewhat on the down side by the time Monty got rolling, but had already largely packed it off to America anyway, averaging only nine annual E Tour starts from 1993-1999.

So while seven consecutive Order of Merit titles is indeed impressive, Monty did manage to time them perfectly (peaking just when much of the competition was somewhat on the wane) and was aided in earning the most money simply by making the most starts.

April Fools Early: Monty & Ken Schofield In World Golf HOF

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The standards for induction continue to be lowered. But not to worry, cronyism's alive and well!

For Immediate Release:

World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum completes Class of 2013 with Colin Montgomerie and Ken Schofield

European duo joins Couples, Venturi and Park Jr.

London (Dec. 18, 2012) – Colin Montgomerie and Ken Schofield share, as player and administrator respectively, a special affinity with both The European Tour and The Ryder Cup and they will be honored for their contribution to the game next year when they are inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum.

Montgomerie – elected through the International Ballot – and Schofield – selected through the Lifetime Achievement Category – will be honored along with fellow 2013 inductees Fred Couples, Willie Park Jr. and Ken Venturi at the Induction Ceremony on May 6, 2013, at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. The Ceremony will once again kick off THE PLAYERS Championship week.

George O’Grady, The European Tour Chief Executive, and Jack Peter, the Hall of Fame Chief Operating Officer, made the official announcement at a press conference attended by both Montgomerie and Schofield prior to The Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Year Luncheon in London.

“This is a very special day for golf and for The European Tour,” O’Grady said. “Colin and Ken are unique individuals and their contribution to not only The European Tour, on and off the fairways, but also The Ryder Cup makes them both very worthy candidates for the World Golf Hall of Fame.

“Colin’s achievement in winning the Harry Vardon Trophy eight times, including seven in a row, took considerable talent, skill, imagination, endurance, physical strength and mental resilience. Any aspiring and ambitious golfer on The European Tour today craves the opportunity to win The Race to Dubai, which has succeeded the Order of Merit, just once – to  do it eight times is universally viewed as a superhuman feat.

Easy there George.

“Colin became European Number One for the eighth time in 2005 which, coincidentally, was the year I succeeded Ken. Unquestionably, Ken’s contribution to The European Tour is incalculable. His vision, passion and reservoir of knowledge established the foundations that we enjoy today and, like Colin, he has enthusiastically supported and taken enormous joy from Europe’s recent triumphs in The Ryder Cup.”

The accomplishments of both Montgomerie and Schofield have been recognized around the world.

"Ken and Colin are truly worthy of induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame,” said Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director and chairman of the World Golf Foundation Board of Directors. “These two men played huge roles in golf's international development in the late 20th century. Ken provided more opportunities for top players to compete around the world, while Colin took advantage of these opportunities and set an unmatched standard of prolonged excellence on The European Tour."

I'm guessing that was as torturous to write as it was to read.

“Colin Montgomerie and Ken Schofield are outstanding ambassadors of the game,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “Each has made vital contributions to golf’s global expansion.

Vital!

Colin’s achievements on The European Tour and the Ryder Cup have gained him fans worldwide, while Ken’s tireless work during his time at The European Tour created new innovations and tremendous international growth. Congratulations to both Colin and Ken on this well-deserved honor.”

Montgomerie dominated The European Tour in the 1990s, finishing Number One seven times in succession from 1993 and then capturing another Harry Vardon Trophy in 2005. The Scot turned professional in 1987, following his second Walker Cup appearance, and won 31 European Tour titles – a record by a British player – including three successive PGA Championships at Wentworth Club and, in total, 40 tournaments worldwide.

In eight successive Ryder Cup appearances from 1991, Montgomerie created a remarkable record of being unbeaten in the singles with a 6-0-2 mark, in addition to winning 9 1/2 points from 14 foursomes and 7 points from 14 fourballs.  He then went on to captain the European Team, which regained The Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, South Wales, in 2010.

Montgomerie, who received the MBE in 1998 and then the OBE in the 2005 New Year’s Honours List, will be eligible to compete on the European Senior Tour when he celebrates his 50th birthday on June 23 next year.

“It is a wonderful surprise to hear that I will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame next year,” Montgomerie said.

He's so modest.

“I know I am very fortunate to have enjoyed such a successful career playing the game I love and it makes me feel very proud that my achievements have been recognized in this way. While my eight Order of Merit wins were very special, as everyone knows my Ryder Cup experiences have provided the very best moments in my career and receiving this great honor is the icing on the cake. I am delighted that my dear friend Ken Schofield’s notable contribution to European golf will also be recognized at next year’s Ceremony and I look forward to sharing this special occasion with him.”

You know how I begged Golf Channel to televise the speeches live? Rescinded. This'll be the longest night ever!

Schofield became First Secretary and Executive Director of The European Tour on Jan. 1, 1975, succeeding John Jacobs. When he took the helm, The European Tour comprised 17 official events with an official prize fund of €599,084. When he retired at the end of 2004, there were 45 official events with official prize money of £106,010,654, in addition to 29 European Challenge Tour events and 21 European Senior Tour events. Schofield initiated global expansion for the game when he took The European Tour outside of the European continent for the first time in 1982 with the playing of the Tunisian Open. That began a structure whereby the Tour positioned itself internationally – co-sanctioned tournaments with other Tours now total 164 since the inaugural one in South Africa in 1995 – with more opportunity and incentive for the players in first the major championships then the World Golf Championships.

Since his retirement Schofield, born and raised in Perthshire, Scotland, where he became, at 23, Scotland’s youngest bank manager, has become an integral part of The Golf Channel’s broadcast team at The Ryder Cup and major championships. He also served for five years as President of The Golf Foundation, of which a founding member was Hall of Fame member Sir Henry Cotton, prior to being succeeded by Montgomerie. He is also on the board of several companies and organizations and was appointed CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1996.

Oh, a CBE in the Queen's 1996 Birthday Honours List? I think half the country was on that list!

And the voting...

World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2013
International Ballot Results
 
Candidate                                 Voting Results (%)
Colin Montgomerie                    51 %
Graham Marsh                           34
Ian Woosnam                            21
Padraig Harrington                    19
Retief Goosen                           18

Winning two majors never has had the same cache as those superhuman Orders of Merit!

Norman von Nida                      15
Max Faulkner                            7
Darren Clarke                            5
Miguel Angel Jimenez               2

Willie Park Jr. In The WGHOF!

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Still no Tillinghast, but Willie Park Jr. is a worthy inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame. This will be the second father-son tandem in the hall, following Old Tom and Young Tom Morris, explains Garry Smits.

For Immediate Release... 

St. Augustine, Fla. (Nov. 15, 2012) – The World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum will induct Willie Park Jr. as part of the Class of 2013. Along with his father, World Golf Hall of Fame member Willie Park Sr., Park helped form one of the legendary families in golf history. He is the third member of the Class of 2013 and will be inducted through the Veterans Category.

Park will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at its Induction Ceremony on Monday, May 6, 2013, at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. The Ceremony will once again kick off THE PLAYERS Championship week.

Park is one of the Open Championship’s most distinguished players, winning in 1887 and 1889 while compiling 12 top-10 finishes in golf’s oldest major. He also did pioneering work in many other areas of the game both in Europe and the United States.

"Willie Park Jr.’s contributions to the game as a player, architect, innovator and writer were truly extraordinary," said Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director and chairman of the World Golf Foundation Board of Directors. “He not only advanced the status of professional golfers, but also was influential in shaping the early development of golf in the United States. This is an overdue, well-deserved recognition.”

Park was born in Musselburgh, Scotland in 1864; four years after his father won the first Open Championship at Prestwick. Young Willie quickly took to the family business of ball and club making. He developed a reputation as an outstanding player and played his first Open Championship as a 16-year-old in 1880.

After five top-10 finishes without a victory, Park finally broke through and won the Open title in 1887, fittingly at Prestwick. Park added his second Open title in 1889 at another special place, his home of Musselburgh – the final time it was played there.

Park used his prowess as a player as a springboard to other facets of the game. He continued pioneering ball and club design, registering several patents and expanding the family business. Park's seminal 1896 book “The Game of Golf” was the first about golf written by a professional golfer. His widely acclaimed “The Art of Putting” was published in 1920.

Park made an impressive mark in golf course architecture as well, having designed or modified more than 200 courses in Europe, the U.S. and Canada. Sunningdale Golf Club outside of London is one of his most famous designs. His success in this arena carried him to the United States and Canada in 1916, where he continued to design courses of the highest quality, including the Maidstone Club in New York and Royal Quebec Golf Club.

"It is a tremendous honor for the family to have a second member recognized for his contribution to the game,” said Mungo Park, Willie Park Jr.’s great nephew and family historian. “Willie Jr., possibly more than any other, marked the transition from the old-school caddy and player to the modern professional golfer and businessman. He gave up high-stake money matches for energetic golf course design. His playing skill was undoubted, particularly with the putter, but it is his courses that provide the most impressive legacy.”

Park joins Fred Couples and Ken Venturi in the Class of 2013. The Hall of Fame will round out the Class, including the International Ballot, in a future announcement.

“The addition of Willie Park Jr. to the Hall of Fame is a significant one,” said Hall of Fame Chief Operating Officer Jack Peter. “The Hall of Fame celebrates the rich history of the game, and that story cannot be told without the tremendous contributions of the Park family. To have Willie Park Jr. join his father in the Hall of Fame is truly fitting.”

Here's a nice Tom MacWood write up of Willie Jr.

A view of one of Park Jr.'s sleek putter designs...take that Jonny Ive!

Fred Couples Headed To World Golf Hall Of Fame

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For Immediate Release...

World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum to induct Fred Couples in Class of 2013
15-time PGA TOUR winner announced at TOUR Championship
 
Atlanta (Sept. 19, 2012) – The World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum will enshrine 15-time PGA TOUR winner Fred Couples as the first member of the Class of 2013. PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem made the announcement that Couples was elected through the PGA TOUR Ballot at the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.
 
Couples will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at its Induction Ceremony on Monday, May 6, 2013, at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. The Ceremony will once again kick off THE PLAYERS Championship week.
 
It will be fitting for Couples, who won the 1984 and 1996 PLAYERS Championships.
 
"Fred Couples is one of those unique players whose talent and accomplishments are Hall-of-Fame caliber, as are his personality and popularity," said Finchem. "He has been a fan favorite for decades, thanks to not only his significant achievements on the golf course, but also because of his relatable, friendly demeanor that has connected him to fans around the world. Congratulations to Fred on this incredible honor."
 
Couples is one of the game’s most popular players and is revered for his picturesque golf swing. It carried him to the top of the game, when he won the 1992 Masters Tournament. That major championship victory also made him the first American player to reach No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He dominated in the early 1990s, winning PGA TOUR Player of the Year and the Vardon Trophy in 1991 and 1992.
 
He is also a fixture for the United States in team competitions. He played on five Ryder Cup teams, helping the Americans to victories in 1991 and 1993. Couples will also take part in next week’s Ryder Cup competition at Medinah Country Club, where he will be an assistant captain for the U.S. Team.
 
Couples has also been a large part of the American success at The Presidents Cup. He played on four U.S. Teams, with three emerging victorious. He also captained the winning U.S. Presidents Cup teams in 2009 and 2011 and will once again lead the Americans at the 2013 Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village, where he will attempt to become the first captain to post a 3-0 record (Jack Nicklaus was 2-1-1).
 
Couples has won five times internationally, and since turning 50 in 2009, he has won eight times on the Champions Tour, including major championships at the 2011 Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship and the 2012 Senior Open Championship.
 
“I am honored by my selection to the World Golf Hall of Fame,” Couples said. “It is humbling to have received the votes and to be included in a group of such legendary players. I am looking forward to the Induction Ceremony next May during THE PLAYERS Championship week. I am excited to have a place in the Hall of Fame with so many great players with whom I have competed and that I admire.”
 
The Hall of Fame will round out the Class of 2013 by announcing inductees from the International Ballot and Veterans and Lifetime Achievement categories in the coming months.
 
“We are thrilled to welcome Fred into the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum,” said Hall of Fame Chief Operating Officer Jack Peter. “He has a unique connection to fans and is one of the game’s most beloved figures. We are excited to showcase his wonderful career at the 2013 Induction Ceremony and within the Hall of Fame.”

Duval And Stricker Added To Hall Of Fame Ballot?

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Here's a PGATour.com report on the latest World Golf Hall of Fame ballot including David Duval and Steve Stricker joining the list. Really.

Garry Smits breaks down the ballot and reveals who he voted for in the regular and International categories of the World Golf Hall Of Fame. Let's hope that Retief Goosen induction speech doesn't happen for a few years.