Golf:Christy O'Connor will become only the second Irish golfer to be inducted into golf's Hall of Fame when tonight's ceremony takes place in St Augustine, Florida.
Although the 85-year-old didn't travel to attend the induction ceremony he joins an elite group including household names such as; Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros and Ben Hogan.
The Galway native, who resides in Dublin and is affectionately known as 'Himself', becomes only the second Irishman to be inducted after the late Joe Carr, Ireland’s greatest amateur, joined in 2007.
This year's intake also includes former US President Dwight D Eisenhower, Spain’s Jose- Maria Olazabal and American Lanny Watkins, bringing the total inductee list up to 130. O’Connor was inducted into the veteran’s category.
O'Connor won no less than 24 titles on the European circuit plus countless domestic wins, including the Irish Championship on 10 occasions.
Other highlights came with winning the 1958 Canada Cup, now known as the golf World Cup, alongside Harry Bradshaw.
In winning the 1955 Swallow Penfold title, O'Connor became the first golfer to receive a four-digit winner's cheque for £1,000.
He also played in 10 successive Ryder Cups from 1955-73 and one of his then playing partners and golf commentator, Peter Alliss, aptly described O'Connor when he said: "Himself was a genius...a legend of Irish golf and golf in general."
