Three new inductees into the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame – the class of 2021 – were announced by the Ohio Golf Association: USGA President J. Stuart “Stu” Francis, two-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Meg Mallon, and former LPGA Tour standout Rosie Jones.
The Ohio Golf Hall of Fame strives to recognize outstanding achievements of Ohioans who play or support the game of golf. The Hall of Fame was founded in 1992 and its members include Jack Nicklaus, Bob Hope, Tammie Green, John Cook and Ben Curtis, among others.
J. Stuart “Stu” Francis was born and raised in Madison, Ohio from 1952-1977. Francis lived a few years in New York City prior to residing in the San Francisco Bay area since 1980.
Francis was elected as president of the USGA in 2020 and is in the second year of a three-year term. Francis has served on the USGA Executive Committee since 2015 and chaired the USGA Championship Committee from 2016 thru 2019.
Francis attended Princeton University and was the team captain of the golf team. During his career at Princeton, the team won two Ivy League championships. In 1973, Francis was selected to the first-team All-Ivy and was an All-America honorable mention. Francis played in two NCAA Championships (1973, 1974). In 1975 Francis finished third in the Ohio Amateur Championship, trailing only Rick Jones and Pat Lindsey, both of whom are members of the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame. Francis competed in several other Ohio Amateur Championships from 1970 through 1977.
Francis qualified and played in three U.S. Amateur Championships (1974, 1975, 1978) and three Canadian National Amateurs.
Meg Mallon, played for Ohio State from 1982-1985, earning All-Conference honors in 1984 and 1985. Mallon was the runner-up at the 1985 Big Ten Championship and won the 1983 Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship.
Mallon joined the LPGA Tour in 1987 and had her breakthrough year in 1991, when she won four times. Two of her victories were majors, including the U.S. Women’s Open. Mallon was named Female Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America and Most Improved Player by Golf Digest after the 1991 season.
Mallon added two more major wins with her 2000 du Maurier Classic victory and her second U.S. Women’s Open victory in 2004. In 2003 Mallon won the season-ending ADT Championship.
Mallon ended her LPGA Tour career with 18 wins, including 4 majors and currently sits 20th on the all-time money list with over 9 million in earnings.
Mallon represented the USA on eight Solheim Cup team, was the assistant captain in 2009 and captained the team in 2013.
Mallon is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame (2017), Ohio State Athletic Hall of Fame (1996), Michigan Golf Hall of Fame (2002), Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
(2008) and the Palm Beach County Hall of Fame (2011). In 2000 Mallon was recognized by the LPGA Tour as one of the LPGA’s top 50 players and teachers.
Mallon retired from professional golf on July 7, 2010.
Rosie Jones is also an Ohio State alumna, playing on the OSU golf team from 1978-1981. She earned All-America honors in 1981 and won the 1980 individual Big Ten Championship. After her collegiate career, Jones had a storied professional career on the LPGA Tour.
Jones played on the LPGA Tour from 1982 to 2006, winning 13 times with four runner-up finishes in major championships. Jones played for the USA on seven Solheim Cup teams from 1990-2005, a stretch in which the USA side never lost. Jones captained the USA Team in the 2011 Solheim Cup.
Jones is a member of the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame (1994), NGCA Hall of Fame (1998) and Georgia Golf Hall of Fame (2006).
Jones retired from the LPGA Tour in 2006 and launched her own golf travel company, Rosie Jones Golf Getaways. Jones is currently #27 on the LPGA all-time money list with over 8 million in earnings.
The 2021 Ohio Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at Plum Brook Country Club in Sandusky, Ohio, on Monday, August 2. Plum Brook is also the host of the annual Ohio Senior Amateur Hall of Fame Tournament, showcasing the banquet dinner and ceremony. Tickets for the dinner and ceremony may be purchased by calling the Ohio Golf Association at 614-698-0014.
For more information on the Ohio Golf Association, visit www.ohiogolf.org.