Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington was among six inductions into the World Golf Hall of Fame, closing out his acceptance Monday night by citing a line his late swing coach Bob Torrance always told him when they starting a practice session.
“These are the happiest days of our lives,” Harrington said.
Harrington, whose 21 worldwide wins include the British Open in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship in 2008, joined 19-time LPGA winner Sandra Palmer as the only living inductees.
“This really feels like a dream,” Palmer said, who thrust both arms in the air when she was introduced to the 29 other members of the Hall of Fame in attendance.
LPGA great Beverly Hanson, former Open Championship winner and golf course architect Tom Weiskopf and former U.S. Open champion Johnny Farrell were to be inducted posthumously.
Also being inducted were the remaining seven founders of the LPGA Tour — Alice Bauer, Bettye Danoff, Helen Dettweiler, Helen Hicks, Opal Hill, Sally Sessions and Shirley Spork — who will be going in as a group. The other six founders previously were inducted on their own.
It will be the largest World Golf Hall of Fame class since 2008.