Columnist Peter Benton: PGA Tour has a worldly look

Peter Benton

Wednesday, April 11, 2001 | 10:20 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

It seems that every time one watches golf on TV, commentators allude to the "International Invasion," and they are indeed correct.

The increase of international players on the PGA Tour has been constant. In 1997 there were 23 foreign players from nine countries, whereas this year there are 18 countries represented by a total of 47 players including:

Langer, a 43-year-old native of Anhausen, Germany, received votes on 66.2 percent of the ballots received from the voting body of 228. Sixty-five percent is required for election.

"To be able to join the many outstanding players and great people in the Hall of Fame for whom I have so much respect is truly a privilege," said Langer, who has won 63 tournaments worldwide in a professional career that began at the age of 15 in 1972. His list includes Masters victories in 1985 and 1993. He captured the 1985 Sea Pines Heritage Classic the week after winning the Masters.

Langer has won 37 events on the European Tour, where he led the Order of Merit in 1981 and 1984. He holds the European Tour record of consecutive cuts made (68) and shares with Seve Ballesteros the record for consecutive years with a victory (17).

Langer has represented Europe on nine Ryder Cup teams and has played for Germany in 11 World Cups.

The results of this year's International Ballot: Bernhard Langer, 66.2 percent; Tony Jacklin, 57 percent; Isao Aoki, 48 percent; Ayoko Okamoto, 39 percent; Kel Nagle, 30 percent; Christy O'Connor Sr., 28 percent; Jumbo Ozaki, 24 percent; Chako Higuchi, 19 percent; Peter Allis, 19 percent; Sandy Lyle, 17 percent; Ian Woosnam, 14 percent; Graham Marsh, 12 percent; Norman von Nida, 10 percent; Max Faulkner, 8 percent; and Dai Rees, 3 percent.

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