Inductees

Hale Irwin was born in Joplin, spent his early years in Kansas, then moved to Colorado where he attended the University of Colorado. While at CU, Irwin won the NCAA Championship in 1967, turning professional in 1968. Irwin won the U.S. Open in 1974, ’79 and ’90. He has been a member of the U.S. World Cup Team (1974 and 1979) and the U.S. Ryder Cup Team ( 1975, ’77, ’79, ’81 and 1991). Irwin also has won the Australian PGA, the South African PGA, the World Match Play (1974 and 1975), Bridgestone Classic (1981), the Brazilian Open (1982) and the Bahamans Classic (1986). Overall, Irwin has 19 tour victories.

1990 was a banner year for Irwin with his victory at the U.S. Open followed one week later with the Buick Classic win. The Missouri Athletic Club named Irwin their Sports Personality of the Year, Mulitple Sclerosis Society named him the Number One St. Louis Sports Figure Award, and Kiwanis Club named Hale their Sportsmen of the Year Award. In 1991, he won the PGA Tour Driving Accuracy award and Maryville University of St. Louis awarded him the 1991 Outstanding Sport Personality of the Year Award.