ARKANSAS STATE GOLF ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME

Decorated threesome up next

Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame Inductee Jack O'Keefe.
Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame Inductee Jack O'Keefe.

This year's Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame induction class has a distinct Augusta flavor.

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Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame Inductee JULIE OXENDINE.

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Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame Inductee Warren Stephens.

The 2016 inductees are current Augusta State University golf Coach Jack O'Keefe; Warren Stephens, a son of former Augusta National Golf Club Chairman Jack Stephens; and Julie Oxendine of Russellville.

At a glance

2016 ASGA Hall of Fame inductees

JACK O’KEEFE

AGE 46

HOMETOWN Augusta, Ga.

NOTABLE ASGA Player of the Year 1990, 1991, 1992

JULIE OXENDINE

AGE 47

HOMETOWN Russellville

NOTABLE Won six ASGA State Women’s Match Play championships between 1998 and 2009.

WARREN STEPHENS

AGE 58

HOMETOWN Little Rock

NOTABLE Founder of The Alotian Club, which hosted the 2013 Western Amateur

Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame inductees:

2016 Jack O’Keefe, Julie Oxendine, Warren Stephens

2015 No inductees

2014 Glen Day, Barry Howard, Wes McNulty

2013 Ginger Brown-Lemm, John A. Cooper family, Ken Duke, Bev Hargraves, Orville Henry

2012 Petey King, Mack Moore, Dan Snider, Tim Zimmerebner

2011 Randy Beaver, Tom Raney

2010 Carolyn Creekmore, Horace Lacey, Mike Mitchell, Sam Spikes

2009 Bobby Baker, Rosey Bartlett, Jay Fox, Bob McGee

2008 Jeff Hamm, Carl Jackson, Al Rayford, Ralph Williams

2007 Joe Bushee, Pete Fleming, Sean Fister, E.B. Gee Jr., Chester Lowe Jr.

2006 Al Alexander, Jack Jordan, Louis Lee, Bill Martin, Tanna Lee Richard

2005 Cliff Calderwood, Harold Calderwood, Tommy Hanson, Jim Lindsey, Grover Poole, Don White

2004 Joe Brown, Paul Collum, Patricia Weis, Bob Ralston, Steve Ralston

2003 Richard Crawford, Charles Lewis III, L.E. “Gene” Keeney, Clyde “Sug” Wilson, Pat Summerall

2002 Jane Whitmore Chronister, John Daly, Walter Eugene Davis, George McKeown, Richard “Bubba” Smart, R.H. Sikes

2001 Martha Jett McAlister, Dick Murphy, Wyn Norwood, Frank Stiedle, Tommy Stobaugh

2000 Robert Dedman, Jack Fleck, Ed Harris, Ed Dell Wortz

1999 Byron Nelson, Ross Collins, Stan Lee, Lucy Byrd Mock

1998 Davis Love Jr., Mary Perrin, Jack Stephens, Willis Watkins

1997 Miller Barber, Fred Gordy Jr., Bill Henry, Charles Lewis Jr., Paul Lewis 1996 Ellis Bogan, Tommy Bolt, Alice Fryer, Lou Miller, Ron Richard, Charles “Monk” Wade

1995 S.W. Creekmore, Ted Darragh, E.J. “Dutch” Harrison, Jack Robinson, Hogan Rountree

1994 Walter “Junie” Dowell, Herman Hackbarth, Don Murphy, Paul Runyan, Hattie Turnage

Stephens, 58, chairman, president and CEO of Stephens Inc., will join his father -- a 1998 inductee -- to make the s̶e̶c̶o̶n̶d̶ third* father-son hall members, along with Charles Lewis Jr. and Charles Lewis III and Dick Murphy and Don Murphy.

"Following the Lewises in as the only fathers and sons is quite an honor," said Stephens, who founded The Alotian Club. "My immediate reaction is what have I done to deserve this honor."

The Alotian Club opened in 2004 and played host in 2013 to the Western Amateur, which included up-and-coming PGA Tour members Justin Thomas and Patrick Rodgers. Stephens also has been a major financial contributor to the First Tee of Central Arkansas.

"The First Tee teaches life skills and tries to give kids and young people a chance to be exposed to the sport," Stephens said. "A vast majority of young people that go to First Tee won't be a college or pro golfer. I just hope they get an understanding and an appreciation for the game.

"The Western Am gave exposure to the top players of the future of professional golf. It was fun for me, or otherwise I wouldn't have known Patrick Rodgers or Justin Thomas or Michael Kim or other guys that have gone on to further success."

O'Keefe, 46, is in his third season at Augusta State. The former three-time ASGA Player of the Year and four-time University of Arkansas All-American worked previously as the head professional at Hot Springs Country Club before serving as an assistant coach at Central Arkansas and Mississippi. O'Keefe, who had two top-20 finishes while playing on the PGA Tour in 1997, said he was finished playing a rare round at Augusta National on Dec. 11 when he got a call from his good friend Barry Howard.

"It was 75 degrees on a Friday afternoon, and Jordan Spieth had played out there the same day," said O'Keefe, who was the 1995 Hooters Tour Player of the Year. "I shot a 67 with five birdies and no bogeys playing from the back tees on the par-3s and par-5s and the member's tees on the par-4s. Some of the magic was back that day. It was pretty memorable getting to play Augusta National, then getting one of your dear friends to call you to tell you that you are being inducted into the ASGA Hall of Fame."

O'Keefe said he has fond memories of the ASGA on his way to the PGA Tour, then on to his current profession.

"To be able to play against Petey King, Jay Fox, Wyn Norwood, Barry Hamilton, Ron Richard, some of the legends in the state, Louis Lee was playing a little bit of professional golf and took a break and John Daly had just turned pro," he said. "With a lot of hard work and with a lot of people to help me along the way, it was a lot of fun those six or so years to play and then to go on and play at the University of Arkansas was a dream come true."

Oxendine, 47, of Russellville, won six ASGA Match Play championships between 1998 and 2009, finishing runner-up five other times. She also has won three Arkansas Women's Golf Association Stroke Play championships while finishing second six times.

"I'm really surprised that is happening this soon," Oxendine said of her selection. "I feel very honored and just being in the same group with a lot of these people that are in the hall of fame."

An elementary school physical education teacher, Oxendine said she knows she can still compete against younger competition but she does keep one eye on the calendar.

"I am at that age I don't want to wish my life away, but at 50 there is like a whole new opening for women's golf," said Oxendine, who has played in the USGA Women's Mid-Amateur three times. "I can play in the USGA women's senior and be the youngest person in the tournament, which it has been a long time since I have been the youngest person in a tournament."

A date and location for the 2016 induction ceremonies will be announced later, said ASGA Executive Director Jay Fox. He said this year's class is "probably as diverse as you can get."

"You have great players in Julie and Jack that have done some great things in amateur golf, but Jack did some great things in professional golf, too," Fox said. "Then you have Warren Stephens who has probably done as much as anybody in the state of Arkansas golfwise, bringing The Alotian here, bringing the Western Am here, and then all of his philanthropic contributions to the First Tee of Central Arkansas and nationally."

This year's class brings the hall of fame's total membership to 99.

Sports on 01/31/2016

*CORRECTION: Dick Murphy and Don Murphy are one of three father-son combinations that will be in the Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame. An incorrect number was included in this story.

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