Veteran Ames headed to Canada’s Golf Hall of Fame
He’s a Hall of Famer now, but Stephen Ames isn’t ready to give up playing golf just yet.
Ames was unanimously named for induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday, becoming the 74th member of the country’s golf ’s shrine. And with Ames poised to celebrate his 50th birthday in April, the Calgary resident is planning to play events on both the PGA and Champions Tours in 2014.
“Usually you think Hall of Famers are inducted when they’re finished playing,” Ames said during a conference call from West Palm Beach, Fla.
“I still see myself as a player right now. It’s a great honour, for sure, without a doubt.”
Ames’ induction ceremony is expected to be in Calgary in August during the Shaw Charity Classic, a Champions Tour event, of which Ames is a founding patron.
After attending Lynn University, Ames turned pro in 1987. A dual citizen of Canada and Trinidad and Tobago, Ames has recorded 11 career wins. Four have come on the PGA Tour, where he’s earned more than $19.5 million US.
A career milestone came in 2006 when Ames captured The Players Championship by six strokes over Retief Goosen. The win was worth $1.44 million US and moved Ames into No. 27 on the official world golf rankings at the time.
But Ames said receiving the Hall of Fame nod has surpassed that as a career highlight, although he considers the 2006 win his biggest ever on a golf course.
“It was a week of complete mental control, which we all know is very difficult to do, day in and day out,” he said. “On the course, that would be it.
“Off the course, being inducted into the Hall of Fame. It’s very prestigious, very nice.”