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On Wednesday, The World Golf Hall of Fame announced four of its five inductees: South African Ernie Els, former President George H.W. Bush, American Doug Ford and the late Scottish golfer Jock Hutchinson.  Els, who is competing in this week’s Tour Championship, was elected in his first year of eligibility. The first President Bush is the second U.S. president to be inducted (Dwight Eisenhower got in in 2009).

Els is a two-time US Open winner (1994 and 1997) and also won The British Open in 2002. “Ernie certainly deserves this recognition, as he epitomizes a ‘world’ golfer,” said golf legend and fellow South African Gary Player. “He is a credit to the game and an ambassador for the sport.”

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said President Bush was selected in the lifetime achievement category, which is “ordained … to recognize individuals for special lifetime achievement in supporting the game of golf.” Bush already received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. Finchem explained Bush’s Hall of Fame credentials:

It’s fair to say that President Bush was selected for his overall and varied contributions to the game, primarily in promoting the game and his public support of the game, but I think most notably that would certainly have to reference his service since 1997 as the honorary chairman of the First Tee effort, which has now reached 3.9 million kids around the country.

Doug Ford won the 1955 PGA Championship, the 1957 Masters Tournament, and 17 other PGA Tour tournaments, and was also named PGA Player of the Year in 1955. “It took a little while, but I think it’s great they’re doing this while I’m still alive,” said Ford, now 88.

Jock Hutchinson was from St. Andrews, Scotland, and won the 1920 PGA Championship and the 1921 British Championship. Hutchinson also won the first Senior PGA Championship in 1937, and captured that title again in 1947.

A final member of the World Golf Hall of Fame 2011 class will be announced next month. The induction ceremony will take place on May 9 2011, the Monday of The Players Championship.