New York, United States: The World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum has announced its 2017 Induction Class: Henry Longhurst, Davis Love III, Meg Mallon, Lorena Ochoa and Ian Woosnam.
These five new members will be enshrined at the World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on September 26, 2017 at Cipriani Wall Street, the week of the Presidents Cup.
These five inductees will bring the total number of World Golf Hall of Fame members to 155.
“Thanks to the hard work and diligence of both the Selection Sub-Committee and the Selection Commission, we have the privilege of bringing in one of our strongest classes to date,” said Jack Peter, President of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
He added: “We look forward to an exciting year ahead as we prepare for the Induction Ceremony, which will be hosted appropriately in the ‘city of dreams’ – New York City.”
The Class of 2017 was elected by the Hall of Fame’s Selection Commission, which debated a group of 16 finalists. The five members of the Class of 2017 each passed the required 75 per cent voting threshold – approval by at least 12 of the 16 members.
The Selection Commission was co-chaired by Hall of Fame Members Nancy Lopez, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Annika Sorenstam and included the Members of the World Golf Foundation Board of Directors and a mix of institutional and at-large seats.
A weekly columnist for the London Sunday Times for 40 years, Longhurst was also considered to be the first golf TV personality, providing coverage for the BBC from the 1950s until his death in 1978.
“Henry Longhurst did something that no other journalist has done. He proved to be as apt, succinct, colourful, informative and compelling to listen to as he had been to read. He captivated people. He has influenced golf in the same way as many Hall of Fame members. I’m really pleased that we have recognised his achievements,” said prominent golf writer John Hopkins.
In a career that has spanned four decades on the PGA Tour, Love has notched 22 victories including the 1997 PGA Championship. His quality of play has earned him a place on six US Ryder Cup teams and six Presidents Cup teams. He has captained two Ryder Cup teams, including the victorious 2016 team. Love is a recipient of both the Payne Stewart and Bob Jones Awards.
Mallon’s 18 career LPGA Tour victories and four Major championships are just part of her winning make-up. A member of nine Solheim Cup teams (captain in 2013), Mallon was recognised during the LPGA’s 50th Anniversary as one of the LPGA’s top-50 players and teachers. She also earned the Golf Writers Association of America Female Player of the Year award in 1991.
In her first full season on the LPGA Tour, Ochoa had eight top-10 finishes, finished ninth on the LPGA Tour’s money list and was named Rookie of the Year. She finished with 27 victories on the LPGA Tour, including two Major championships.
She was ranked world number one for 158 consecutive weeks (2007-2010). In a three-year stretch (2006-2008), she won 21 tournaments, including the two Majors and in 2008, she dominated with wins by as many as 11 strokes on more than one occasion.
Ochoa will be the first Mexican-born golfer to enter into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Woosnam, winner of the 1991 Masters Tournament, sat atop the Official World Golf Ranking for 50 weeks throughout 1991 and 1992. His sterling play led him to represent Europe in eight consecutive Ryder Cup teams from 1983 to 1997.
‘Woosie’ won the Order of Merit as the leading money winner on the European Tour and was named European Player of the Year in 1987 and 1990. In recognition of his contributions to golf, he was awarded the Queen’s honour of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2006.