Hall of Fame to hold 2011 Ceremony on Monday of PLAYERS Championship

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- The 2011 World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Monday, May 9, 2011, at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. That Monday marks the first day of THE PLAYERS Championship week.

Further details on the Induction Ceremony will be released this fall. To learn more about the World Golf Hall of Fame, click here.

"The Induction Ceremony continues to be an incredibly important event for golf each year as we take the opportunity to recognize the sport's greatest achievers," said Tim Finchem, PGA TOUR commissioner and World Golf Foundation board member.

"Moving the Ceremony to the spring will heighten the event's exposure in a variety of ways and will add a new level of excitement to THE PLAYERS for fans, media, sponsors and past and current players."

Recent Induction Ceremonies have taken place in the late fall. The 2009 class, which included Jose Maria Olazabal, Lanny Wadkins, Christy O'Connor and late President Dwight D. Eisenhower, were inducted in November of that year.

"Staging the annual Induction Ceremony in the heart of the golf season, just before one of golf's most thrilling events, is a great opportunity for the Hall of Fame," said World Golf Hall of Fame COO Jack Peter. "The spring date is sure to give fans around the world an even better opportunity to witness the celebration."

Class of 2011 PGA TOUR and International ballots have been mailed to the respective voting bodies and the voting results will be announced later in 2010.

Included among the players on this year's ballot are current PGA TOUR stars Ernie Els (PGA TOUR category) and Retief Goosen (International category). Both players met the qualifying criteria by the Jan. 1, 2010 deadline.

Other candidates include Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Kenny Perry, Jay Haas and Colin Montgomerie, among others.

Two modifications to the ballot process will take effect this year. All living members of the World Golf Hall of Fame will vote on both PGA TOUR and International Ballots. Additionally, all candidates on the ballots will remain in consideration indefinitely unless he/she receives less than 5 percent of the votes for two consecutive years.

The World Golf Hall of Fame Advisory Board can nominate for both the Lifetime Achievement and Veterans categories. Members of the International Voting Body are eligible to nominate candidates for the Lifetime Achievement Category. Both Lifetime Achievement and Veterans categories are determined by the World Golf Foundation Board of Directors

Below is a list of players on the 2011 ballot.