Three British Columbians chosen for Canadian Golf Hall of Fame

"We are very, very proud of these athletes."

This year, three amazing golfers from British Columbia will be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. The late John (Jack) McLaughlin of Toronto (and Vancouver), Alison Murdoch of Victoria, B.C., and Jim Nelford of Vancouver have been elected.

According to British Columbia Golf, Murdoch and Nelford are being inducted under the player category while McLaughlin will be inducted as a builder. Murdoch, Nelford and McLaughlin will be the 71st, 72nd and 73rd members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Chris McGrath, manager of communications and marketing for B.C. Golf, said the organization is thrilled with the success of some of the province's top players.

"Murdoch is a huge success and is one of our best senior women players in all of B.C.," said McGrath. "And Nelford had a pretty outstanding playing career and branched out to make a strong career in media. McLaughlin was also a long-time professional in the Lower Mainland area. These are three pretty established people all coming from B.C., and for them to all make it into the hall of fame in one year is pretty outstanding."

Outstanding service to the game

• McLaughlin, who died in 1991, served on both the Ontario and British Columbia PGA boards and became president of each as well as director of the PGA of Canada. Dedicated to junior golf and teaching, he is remembered for his commitment to the game, developing junior programs, serving as the national junior committee chair for the PGA of Canada and as the head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds. He coached many of Canada’s top players including Lorie Kane, Ray Stewart and Brent Franklin.
• Nelford, after turning professional in 1977, played on the World Cup for Canada on four occasions, capturing the title in 1980. He also won the British Columbia Open in 1983 and was runner-up at the Sea Pines Heritage and Bing Crosby Pro-Am on the PGA TOUR. Despite a waterskiing accident in 1984, Nelford remained dedicated to the sport and worked to make a comeback in spite of his injuries. Although his professional career never recovered, he became a broadcaster in 1990 for networks including ESPN, TSN, Golf Channel, CTV, CNBC, USA Sports, etc. This dedication earned him the Ben Hogan Award given by the Golf Writers Association of America to golfers who have overcome serious injury. Nelford also co-authored the book Seasons in a Golfer’s Life with hall of fame member Lorne Rubenstein.
• Murdoch has amassed tremendous success during her senior career. She has proven herself on both the national and international stage, with a playing record which includes four Canadian senior women’s championships and two super senior championships. She has qualified for six USGA senior women’s amateurs, is a four-time champion of the Irish Senior Women’s Open Stroke Play and has also won the British Senior Women’s Amateur. Murdoch has twice won the PNGA Women’s Mid Amateur and twice won the PNGA Senior Women’s Amateur, as well as British Columbia, Alberta and WSGA senior women titles. Earlier in her career she won the 1967 Quebec Junior Girls tournament and a number of Ottawa City championships. Murdoch’s amazing career in the senior ranks has seen her named to numerous national teams; she was the PNGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year on five occasions and the Sport BC Female Master Athlete of the Year in 2007. In 2009 she was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame of B.C., and on August 2, 2013, she will be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

"Over the last few weeks, we have had a lot of success with our athletes. Murdoch is being inducted into not only the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame but the PNGA Hall of Fame as well," said McGrath. "Alison is one of our better senior women players. She's won our senior women's champion a number of times, won British and Irish ladies amateurs. . . she's a very accomplished golfer. We are very, very proud of these athletes."