Christy O'Connor Snr to be inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame

Christy O'Connor Snr has been voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

O'Connor played in 10 Ryder Cups and won 24 European Tour titles during his fantastic career.

O'Connor, whose nephew Christy O'Connor Jnr won four European Tour titles and played in two Ryder Cups himself, turned professional in 1946.

Nine years later, he became the first player to win £1,000 in a European tournament at the Swallow-Penfold.

During the 1960s, he won at least once each year on the European Tour and in 1961 he became the first Irishman to win the circuit's order of merit title, which he retained a year later.

The 84-year-old, whose selection in the Hall of Fame's veterans category was announced on Wednesday, will be inducted in Florida in November.

"I never expected to be nominated, never mind selected," said O'Connor.

O'Connor, one of the most popular players of his generation, will become the second Irishman to enter the Hall of Fame, following the late Joe Carr who was inducted in 2007.

"My deepest thanks go to those who felt I was a deserving case and those who voted for me to join such a distinguished list of golfing people," added O'Connor, affectionately known as 'Himself' among his peers.

O'Connor joins American Lanny Wadkins, whose selection was announced last month, a 21-times winner on the PGA Tour, in the Hall of Fame's class of 2009.

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