Darren Clarke has joined Christy O'Connor Snr as a candidate for membership of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The Ulsterman, 40, was named on the 2009 International Ballot which will close on March 2.

"There are many qualified individuals in consideration each year, including those candidates on the ballots as well as those who will be considered through the Lifetime Achievement and Veterans categories," said Jack Peter, the Hall's Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. "We look forward to learning the results of this year's process as we move toward another Induction Ceremony this Fall."

Only candidates over 40 are eligible for membership of the Hall of Fame, which has five categories: PGA TOUR Ballot, International Ballot, LPGA Point System, Lifetime Achievement and Veteran's.

In order to qualify for the PGA Tour Ballot, players must have been PGA TOUR member for 10 years and won either two Majors, the Players Championship or 10 PGA Tour events.

Candidates for the International Ballot are decided from a points list calculated from major wins, international tour wins and Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and Solheim Cup participation.

Clarke has won 16 tournaments worldwide including the 2000 WGC Andersen Consulting Matchplay over Tiger Woods and the 2003 NEC Invitational. He has also played on five Ryder Cup teams.

O'Connor Senior played on ten Ryder Cup teams and won 24 times in Europe between 1955 and 1972. 

Candidates on the PGA TOUR ballot must get 65  percent of the vote if they are to  be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

However, Clarke and O'Connor Snr could get in if they receive 50  percent of the votes in the International Ballot of  golf dignitaries, historians and journalists.

The International ballot, which has 12 candidates, will again include last year's vote leaders Jose Maria Olazabal (49  percent), Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki (46  percent) and Sandy Lyle (35  percent). 

O'Connor Snr has been on the International Ballot for the last few years, receiving 22 percent of the vote in 2008.

The 2009 World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place November 2, 2009 at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla.

The World Golf Hall of Fame, located at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla., honors and celebrates golf's greatest players and contributors. 

A World Golf Foundation initiative, the Hall of Fame represents collaboration among 26 national and international golf organizations, including the PGA TOUR, LPGA, USGA, Augusta National, PGA of America, The European Tour and The R&A. The museum houses interactive exhibits and historic and personal artifacts that tell the stories of its members and the game of golf. For more information, visit http://www.wgv.com/.

International ballot

2009 Candidates (Country)

Peter Alliss (England)

Darren Clarke (Ireland)

Max Faulkner (England)

Sandy Lyle (Scotland)

Graham Marsh (Australia)

Colin Montgomerie (Scotland)

Christy O'Connor Sr. (Ireland)

Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain)

Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki (Japan)

Craig Parry (Australia)

Norman Von Nida (Australia)

Ian Woosnam (Wales)

 

2008 results

Jose Maria Olazabal 49 percent

Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki 46 percent

Sandy Lyle 35 percent

Colin Montgomerie 29 percent

Graham Marsh 25 percent

Christy O'Connor, Sr. 22 percent

Ian Woosnam 18 percent

Peter Alliss 17 percent

Norman Von Nida 16 percent

Max Faulkner 5 percent

Craig Parry 1 percent

 

PGA TOUR Ballot

2009 Candidates

Miller Barber

Fred Couples

Doug Ford

Jay Haas

Don January

Tony Lema

Davis Love III

Harold McSpaden

Mark OMeara

Kenny Perry

Macdonald Smith

Dave Stockton

Ken Venturi

Lanny Wadkins

Fuzzy Zoeller

 

2008 Results

Craig Wood 65 percent

Lanny Wadkins 52 percent

Denny Shute 43 percent *

Doug Ford 35 percent

Bob Charles 28 percent *

Mark O'Meara 24 percent

Ken Venturi 23 percent

Davis Love III 19 percent

Tony Lema 18 percent

Macdonald Smith 18 percent

Fred Couples 17 percent

Fuzzy Zoeller 13 percent

Miller Barber 10 percent

Dave Stockton 10 percent

Don January 9 percent

Harold Jug McSpaden 5 percent

John Daly 2 percent

David Toms 0 percent

*Inducted in 2008 through Veterans category.