Mark O’Meara, who grew up in Southern California and learned the game at Mission Viejo Country Club, heads the World Golf Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015, it was announced at St. Augustine, Fla.
Laura Davies of England, famed course architect A.W Tillinghast and two-time major champion David Graham of Australia also will be inducted on July 13 at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland ahead of the 155th Open Championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews.
“It means the world to me,” said O’Meara, who was an All-American at Long Beach State and captured the 1979 California Amateur Championship. “I guess it was just a matter of time of waiting.
“Now that it’s come true, it’s really a dream come true for me. Nothing could put more icing on the cake for myself or my career than to have this moment come to fruition.”
The 57-year-old O’Meara won 16 times on the PGA Tour, including two major titles, capturing the Masters and the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, both in 1998. He also won the 1979 U.S. Amateur.
The long-hitting Davies has won 20 times on the LPGA Tour and holds the Ladies European Tour record with 45 titles, among the 84 she has won around the world. Included are four major victories, the 1994 and 1996 LPGA Championships, the 1987 U.S. Women’s Open and the 1996 du Maurier Classic.
Graham, 68, won 25 times around the globe, including eight titles on the PGA Tour, among them the 1981 U.S. Open and 1979 PGA Championship. He and Gary Player are the only men to win tournaments on six continents.
Tillinghast, who died in 1942, was one of the most prolific early course designers, and included among his work are Bethpage Black, Baltusrol and Winged Foot.
