Hollins joins Tiger Woods as 2021 Inductee; full class to be announced in coming days ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (April 17, 2020) – Marion Hollins, one of the only female golf course developers in history, will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2021. Joining Tiger Woods, who was announced last month, Hollins was selected through the Contributor category for her impact as a visionary golf course architect and pioneer of the game.
Winner of the 1921 United States Amateur and captain of the first American Curtis Cup team in 1932, Marion Hollins’ influence on the game stretched beyond the fairways of competitive play. One of history’s few female golf course developers, she took a lead role in developing the Monterey Peninsula into a golf mecca, which is now home to some of the biggest tournaments in play.
“When you start reading about Marion Hollins, you realize what a trailblazer she was,” said Annika Sorenstam, World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2003 Inductee. “In her era, she didn’t have many resources with the status of women in sports and golf. To be that kind of trailblazer with that kind of enthusiasm and energy and get into course development and design is very inspirational. She was an advocate for women and changed the landscape of the game.”
Credited with being the first woman to conceive and build a planned unit development with a golf course as a central feature, she played a major role in the founding and formation of two of golf’s most iconic courses, Cypress Point and Pasatiempo. Hollins was a collaborator with Hall of Famer Alister MacKenzie on multiple projects; he credited her for the design of the 16th at Cypress Point. She also developed a friendship with the legendary Bobby Jones and influenced the development of Augusta National when she traveled there on MacKenzie’s behalf.
Hollins is the second Inductee in the Class of 2021, joining Tiger Woods, who was announced last month. The additional members of the 2021 Class will be announced in the coming days.
“Marion Hollins is most deserving of this honor,” said Greg McLaughlin, CEO of World Golf Foundation. “She was a principal force of the game, the visionary of some of today’s greatest courses, and I am grateful that her contributions will be celebrated as part of the 2021 Class and thereafter in the World Golf Hall of Fame.”
The Class of 2021 is elected by the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee, which discussed the merits of 10 finalists. The Selection Committee is a 20-member panel co-chaired by Hall of Fame Members Beth Daniel, Nick Price, Annika Sorenstam and Curtis Strange, and includes media representatives and leaders of the major golf organizations.
The finalists were nominated by the Hall of Fame’s Nominating Committee, which vetted every candidate that met the qualifications of the Hall of Fame’s three Induction categories.
Click here to download press kit materials for the Class of 2021. For more information on the Induction process, visit www.worldgolfhalloffame.org.
Class of 2021 Selection Committee
Hall of Fame Co-Chairs Beth Daniel Nick Price Annika Sorenstam Curtis Strange
Institutional Seats World Golf Foundation Board Organizations Mike Davis, USGA Will Jones, The Masters Jay Monahan, PGA TOUR Keith Pelley, European Tour Martin Slumbers, The R&A Seth Waugh, PGA of America Mike Whan, LPGA
Media Selected by World Golf Foundation Board Michael Bamberger, Golf.com Iain Carter, BBC Jaime Diaz, Golf Channel Doug Ferguson, Associated Press John Hopkins, Global Golf Post UK Beth Ann Nichols, Golfweek Ron Sirak, Global Golf Post
At-Large Seats Selected by World Golf Foundation Board Peter Bevacqua, NBC Sports Group Jerry Tarde, Golf Digest/Discovery
*** About World Golf Hall of Fame The World Golf Hall of Fame celebrates golf and honors the legacies of those who have made it great. The Hall of Fame opened in Pinehurst, N.C. in 1974 where a total of 71 members were inducted before moving to its current location in St. Augustine, Florida in 1998. The World Golf Hall of Fame currently recognizes 160 Members. The Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution and is allied with 26 national and international golf organizations, including the European Tour, LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, The R&A and USGA. To learn more about the World Golf Hall of Fame or to lend support, visit www.worldgolfhalloffame.org.
