Padraig Harrington and Dottie Pepper were among 12 finalists announced Wednesday for the 2024 class of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Harrington owns 21 worldwide victories, including three majors, while Pepper won 17 times on the LPGA, highlighted by two majors.
The 31-member panel carved the list down to four men, four women and four contributors. A 20-member selection panel comprising Hall of Fame members, media and leaders of major golf organizations will meet on March 8 ahead of the PGA Tour Players Championship to vote on induction.
The class of 2024 will be inducted during the U.S. Open next year at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.
The other male players nominated include Jim Furyk (17 PGA Tour wins, including a U.S. Open title); the late Tom Weiskopf (former Open Championship winner and golf course architect); and Johnny Farrell (22 tour wins, including the 1928 U.S. Open).
Joining Pepper in the female division were Sandra Palmer (21 wins and two majors); the late Beverly Hanson (17 wins and three majors); and Cristie Kerr (20 wins and two majors).
Butch Harmon, the son of former Masters champion Claude Harmon, was the headliner in the contributor’s category. Three of Harmon’s players have reached world No. 1: Greg Norman, Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson.
Other contributor finalists: retired Royal & Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson; former amateur great Jay Sigel, who played on nine Walker Cup teams; and the remaining seven founders of the LPGA Tour (the other six founders already have been inducted).
