HOF Class of '09: Wadkins, Olazabal, O'Connor, Ike

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ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Lanny Wadkins, Jose Maria Olazabal, Christy O'Connor and the late President Dwight D. Eisenhower will be officially inducted Monday night into the World Golf Hall of Fame. The ceremony is at 6 p.m. ET.

Join GOLF CHANNEL host Rich Lerner on Nov. 2 at 10 p.m. ET to see the 2009 World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony presented by Shell. The coverage will also air on GOLF CHANNEL Nov. 3 at 3 a.m. ET and 8 a.m. ET.

Here's a look at each of the four inductees:

Lanny Wadkins

Lanny Wadkins, a 21-time PGA TOUR winner, was elected through the PGA TOUR Ballot. "I am honored and pleased to be a part of such a prestigious group," Wadkins said. "I never expected to wind up in the Hall of Fame when I started playing golf. I played for the love of the game and to compete to win. This honor is the culmination of a lot of fun, which I had throughout my career. I am extremely pleased to share this honor with my family and friends who supported me for so long. For many, I know this means as much to them as it does to me, and I appreciate all of their support." "Lanny Wadkins reputation as one of the most fiercely competitive players of his generation was demonstrated time and time again, including his victories at the 1977 PGA Championship, where he won a sudden-death playoff, and at the 1979 PLAYERS Championship, when he overcame gale force conditions to win by five strokes," PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem said. "His tournament record, coupled with his stout Ryder Cup success and time spent as a CBS analyst, rounds out a remarkable Hall of Fame career." Wadkins, a native of Richmond, Va., is among the top 30 on the all-time PGA TOUR victory list. Wadkins was voted PGA Player of the Year in 1985, a year he won three TOUR titles. Beginning in 1977, Wadkins played on the U.S. Ryder Cup Team eight times (a record he shares with Raymond Floyd and Billy Casper) and his 20-11-3 record is among the strongest in the history of the event. He served as U.S. Ryder Cup Team Captain in 1995. MORE ON WADKINS Essay: TOUR pro Jay Haas on what makes Wadkins a Hall of Famer Video: Wadkins' career | Outside The Ropes More: World Golf Hall of Fame profile

Jose Maria Olazabal

Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time Masters champion, was elected through the International Ballot. "Only a small group of people are privileged to be in the World Golf Hall of Fame and I have a huge respect for all the players already there," Olazabal said. "They are all great players who have achieved so much, and to have a little square plaque there with my name on it makes me feel very special. I am particularly happy to follow Seve (Ballesteros)'s footsteps into the Hall of Fame. He opened so many doors for us and we owe him a huge debt." Olazabal becomes the second Spaniard in the Hall of Fame, joining his friend Ballesteros, who was inducted in 1999. George O'Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: "Two words spring immediately to mind when reflecting on the wonderful career of Jose Maria Olazabal -- courage and determination. On the world's fairways, Jose Maria has exhibited both those attributes under pressure ... while on a personal level, he displayed remarkable fortitude in battling back from a grave illness to capture that second green jacket in 1999." Since turning professional in 1985, Olazabal has enjoyed much international success, winning the 1994 and 1999 Masters, plus 21 European Tour and four additional PGA TOUR titles. He also won in Japan twice. Olazabal has represented Europe on seven Ryder Cup teams: 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1999 and 2006, and served as assistant captain to Hall of Fame member Nick Faldo in 2008. MORE ON OLAZABAL Essay: PGATOUR.COM columnist Melanie Hauser on Olazabal's quiet dignity Video: Olazabal's career More: World Golf Hall of Fame profile

Christy O'Connor

Christy O'Connor, whose tremendous popularity and status in the game earned him the legendary nickname of "Himself, was elected through the Veterans Category. O'Connor becomes the second Irishman to enter the Hall of Fame, behind the late Joe Carr, who was inducted in 2007. "This is a fantastic honor, not only for myself and my family but for the whole of Ireland and, in particular, all my friends in professional golf -- sadly many now departed -- who helped me enjoy a wonderful career in the game," O'Connor said. "All my life I always tried my best to represent my country with dignity, whether it was playing for Ireland in the Canada Cup (World Cup of Golf) or for Great Britain and Ireland in The Ryder Cup. I have enjoyed a great life in golf and golf has done so much for me. This is the cream and I am quite overwhelmed." George O'Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: "Christy's induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame is a richly deserved honor for one of Ireland's greatest sporting heroes. It speaks volumes for Christy's stature in the game, not only in his native country but on far-flung shores, that he needs no introduction other than 'Himself'." O'Connor, 84, turned professional in 1946 and during the 1960s won at least one professional tournament each year on The European Tour. He became the first Irishman to win the Harry Vardon Trophy for leading the Order of Merit in 1961 and became the only Irishman to win the award twice in 1962. MORE ON O'CONNOR Essay: PGATOUR.COM correspondent Brian Keogh on a true Irish folk hero Video: O'Connor's career More: World Golf Hall of Fame profile

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The late President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who becomes the first President inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, was elected through the Lifetime Achievement Category. "One would be hard pressed to find any single person who did more to popularize the game of golf, not only in the United States but throughout the world, than President Eisenhower," Arnold Palmer said. "His visibility, coupled with his passion for the game, were the inspiration for literally millions of people picking up the game for the first time. Those involved in golf today owe him a great debt of gratitude. Since I was fortunate enough to have enjoyed a warm, personal friendship with the President, I had the opportunity to see firsthand his passion for the game and the impact he had on its broadening appeal worldwide." On behalf of the Eisenhower family, Merrill Atwater, great-grandson of the late president, said, "There is no doubt that being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame would have been both humbling and a tremendous honor for my great-grandfather. His personal interest in the game is evident throughout his career and among the many family stories shared through the generations." During and subsequent to his years in the White House, Eisenhower was the figurative face of golf in the public eye and, as a result, was a significant contributor to the game's tremendous growth in the latter half of the 1900s. Eisenhower is credited with motivating millions of golfers over the age of 40 to try golf for the first time. According to Don Van Natta, Jr., author of "First Off The Tee", when Eisenhower took office in 1953, 3.2 million Americans played golf and by 1961, that number had doubled. MORE ON EISENHOWER Essay: Arnold Palmer discusses Ike's impact on golf Video: Eisenhower's career More: World Golf Hall of Fame profile