WGHOF Member Stories Episodes

20-time winner on the PGA Tour, Hale Irwin takes us back to his early days on Tour and shares the lessons he learned from mentors like Bruce Devlin and Dale Douglas. Surviving the pressures of being a "Monday qualifier", Hale finally closed the deal in his fifth year on Tour, prevailing at the 1973 Sea Pines Heritage Classic. Confidence from that first victory propelled him to success the following year at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot and at the Piccadilly Match Play at Wentworth GC. Listen in a...

World Golf Hall of Fame member Hale Irwin looks back on the importance of notching his first career win at Harbour Town in 1971, the first of three wins at the Heritage. He then relives each of his three U.S. Open victories beginning with 1974 at Winged Foot where he won with a score of +7 as the USGA did not want a repeat of the Johnny Miller final round of 63 at Oakmont the previous year. He prevailed at Inverness Club in 1979 by 2 over Gary Player and Jerry Pate and then, who will forget his ...

Hale Irwin, a 3-time U.S. Open winner and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, shares his memories of growing up as a baseball Cardinals fan in Kansas and Colorado and learning the game of golf on sand greens at the local muni. Hale was a star athlete in football and baseball but eventually gravitated towards golf after winning the 1967 NCAA Division I Individual Golf Championship. Listen in as he takes us through his thinking process about playing professionally and ultimately qualifying at...

In the final chapter of our four-part conversation with Lorena Ochoa, the legendary 2-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member reflects on the pinnacle of her career and the transition into life beyond professional golf. Lorena takes us back to her dominant years on the LPGA Tour, including her unforgettable 2007 Women's British Open victory at the Old Course at St. Andrews and her emotional triumph at Mission Hills, where she famously leaped into Poppie’s Pond after winning the 2...

In this third installment of our four-part series with World Golf Hall of Fame member and two-time major champion Lorena Ochoa, we dive into the defining moments that cemented her legacy as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Lorena takes us back to her early years on the LPGA Tour, from the challenges of her rookie season to the pivotal mental and physical adjustments that led to her first victories. She shares the pressure of proving herself among the sport’s elite, including Annika Söre...

In this second installment of our four-part conversation with two-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member Lorena Ochoa, we dive into her collegiate journey, the transition to professional golf, and the defining moments that shaped her career. Lorena reflects on her time at the University of Arizona, where she quickly became a dominant force in college golf, winning Player of the Year honors twice and setting the stage for what would become a legendary career. She shares the chall...

In this special interview with our 100th guest on FORE the Good of the Game, hosts Mike Gonzalez and Bruce Devlin sit down with one of the most dominant players in women’s golf history, Lorena Ochoa. A two-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member, Ochoa’s impact on the game extends far beyond her remarkable 158-week reign as the world’s No. 1 player. In the first installment of this four-part conversation, Lorena takes us back to her early days growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, w...

World Golf Hall of Fame member Mark O'Meara takes us through his major championship experiences including his two wins, at age 41, in 1998. Beginning the year with a thrilling 20-foot birdie putt at the last to win the Masters Tournament by one over Fred Couples and David Duval, Mark then went to Royal Birkdale where he prevailed in a 4-hole playoff with Brian Watts to win the Open Championship and capture the Claret Jug. He reflects on his 2015 induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame at S...

Two-time major championship winner and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Mark O'Meara recalls about his last several PGA Tour wins including his 5th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Mark recounts how he first met 17-year-old Tiger Woods and how he mentored him as a "big brother" and competed with him for real and in practice. He tells about their World Cup win together in 1999 and how he bested Tiger in the 1998 World Match Play at Wentworth. Mark relives his Ryder Cup ex...

World Golf Hall of Fame member and winner of two major championships, Mark O'Meara relives his early victories on the PGA Tour beginning with his Greater Milwaukee Open title in 1984. He has special memories of the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am (later AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am) having won there 5 times including in 1990 with his father as his Pro-Am partner. Winning isn't easy but Mark managed to win 16 PGA Tour events over a period of 15 years but the best was still to come. ...

Mark O’Meara, World Golf Hall of Fame Inductee and winner of two major championships, shares his earliest memories of learning the game growing up in Mission Viejo, CA. He enjoyed success at a young age as an All-American at Long Beach State and winning the 1979 U.S. Amateur Championship at Canterbury GC over defending champ and childhood friend, John Cook. As a 23-year-old, Mark found himself at Augusta National, teeing it up with the defending champion, Fuzzy Zoeller, at the Masters and then w...

Two-time major championship winner JoAnne Carner reflects on the later years of her illustrious career including her 35th Tour win at the 1882 Chevrolet World Championship of Golf that qualified her for the LPGA Hall of Fame. JoAnne was a repeat winner at 13 different events over her career even after waiting until age 30 to turn professional. In 2004 she became the oldest player to make an LPGA cut at age 65. She remembers several other majors that could have been and wished the USGA had inaugu...

World Golf Hall of Fame member JoAnne Carner looks back on her early years on Tour including several of her 43 LPGA titles including the 1969 Burdine's Invitational that she won as an amateur. Professional success came quickly in her first year on Tour in 1970 and then validation came with a wire-to-wire win at the 1971 Women's U.S. Open at Kahkwa Club over the great Kathy Whitworth where JoAnne became the first player to win three different USGA championships. Fourteen wins later she cashes in ...

Winner of 8 USGA Championships throughout her brilliant career, JoAnne Carner begins her story growing up in the Northwest and learning the game while working at the little 9-hole public course in town. Offered an honorary membership at Sand Point C.C., JoAnne took full advantage of the club's generosity and support by traveling the states competing in junior and amateur events, ultimately winning one USGA Girls Junior and five Women's Amateur titles. She won the equivalent of the NCAA individua...

In this captivating fourth and final part of our conversation with golf legend Ian Woosnam, listeners will be treated to an inside look at the mind of a true champion. From major championships to the dramatic Ryder Cup, Woosnam shares his insights, memories, and experiences of playing at the highest levels of professional golf. The episode opens with Woosnam reflecting on his time competing against other greats of the game, such as Davis Love III, and expressing gratitude for the thrilling mome...

In this riveting third part of a four-episode series featuring one of Europe's "Big Five" Ian Woosnam, listeners are taken on a nostalgic journey through some of the most defining moments of Woosnam's illustrious career. The conversation opens with a vivid recollection of his phenomenal performance at the 1991 Masters, a victory over Tom Watson that still resonates in the annals of golf history. Woosnam's passion and dedication to the game shine through as Mike & Bruce prompt memories of...

In the riveting second part of our four-part series with Masters champion Ian Woosnam, listeners are treated to an intimate journey through the early stages of Woosnam's illustrious career. This episode takes us around the globe as Woosnam reflects on the triumphs, trials, and defining moments that shaped his early professional journey. From the slopes of Monte Carlo to the greens of Gleneagles, Woosnam shares his vivid memories and valuable insights, painting a picture of an athlete on the ris...

In this riveting first installment of a four-part series, we bring you into the early years of World Golf Hall of Fame member Ian Woosnam, a name synonymous with dedication, grit, and an indomitable love for the game. Hosted by Mike Gonzalez and Australian PGA-Tour golf great Bruce Devlin, this episode peels back the layers on Woosnam's initial encounters with the world of golf and his journey into the professional arena. Born in the quiet town of Oswestry, Shropshire, Ian Woosnam's relationshi...

Winner of 34 LPGA Tour events, Betsy King reflects back on her final two major championships and her last several wins on tour. Betsy remembers the easy walk up the 18th fairway of her 11-shot victory at the 1992 LPGA Championship, at the time setting several records including largest winning margin, lowest raw score and lowest score to par in a major with each round in the 60’s. Alongside, feel the intense pressure of clinching her 30th tournament to secure a coveted spot in the LPGA Hall of Fa...

Step back in time with us as we relive the golden age of LPGA Golf in the 1980s, a period that saw the rise of legendary figures like Nancy Lopez and our esteemed guest, six-time major championship winner Betsy King. Hear firsthand from Betsy about her first major victory at the Nabisco Dinah Shore, where she triumphed over Patty Sheehan in a thrilling playoff. We'll guide you through the highlights of Betsy's illustrious LPGA career during the 80s, with tales from the frontline of the most sig...

Unveiling the journey of World Golf Hall of Fame member Betsy King, we invite you to share in a conversation that's as inspiring as it is riveting. A small-town girl from Reading, Pennsylvania, Betsy's foray into sports was nurtured by her brother and parents, blossoming into a love for golf that eventually paved the way for a distinguished career. Without a girl’s golf team in high school, and unable to compete on the boy’s team, she was still able to develop her game and secure a scholarship a...

In the concluding episode of our four-part interview series with Australian golf legend and World Golf Hall of Fame member, Karrie Webb, we delve deep into her unwavering commitment to the game and how she navigated her storied career. From candid moments on the tour to her personal reflections on legacy, this final segment offers a holistic view into the life of one of golf's most iconic figures. Karrie shares an eye-opening anecdote about her philanthropic endeavors, revealing her pivotal rol...

In the enthralling third installment of our four-part interview series, we welcome back Australian golf legend and World Golf Hall of Fame member, Karrie Webb. In this episode, we delve deep into the pinnacle years of her illustrious career, a journey characterized not just by victories but by unwavering tenacity and a love for the game. Karrie opens up about her final major championships, unpacking the mental fortitude, preparation, and raw emotion that went into each one. But this isn't just ...

In this captivating second portion of our four-part interview with Australian golf legend Karrie Webb, we delve deeper into the making of a champion. Often considered one of the greatest female golfers of all time, Karrie offers invaluable insights into the intricate layers that have built her Hall of Fame career. This episode is more than just a casual chat about golf; it’s an intimate journey through the highs and lows, triumphs and tribulations of Karrie's professional life. We discuss the p...