Carol Semple Thompson said the toughest part about being selected for induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame was having her mother keep quiet for several months until the announcement was made public.

That moment came yesterday for Thompson, 59, a Sewickley native and one of the most decorated amateurs in golf history. She will be inducted into the Hall of Fame Nov. 10 in St. Augustine, Fla., as part of the 2008 class that includes Denny Shute, Craig Wood, architect Pete Dye and writer Herbert Warren Wind.

The announcement was made at the U.S. Women's Open at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn. Thompson was selected in the Lifetime Achievement Category.

"This has to be right up there at the top," Thompson said in a telephone interview after the news conference announcing her selection. "Being in the World Golf Hall of Fame is just fantastic. I certainly don't feel worthy, but I'm not going to say no."

Thompson, who has won seven United States Golf Association championships in her career, is one of only 11 players to win the U.S. Amateur (1973) and British Amateur (1974) championships. She has played in a record 12 Curtis Cup matches for the United States and has twice served as captain of the Curtis Cup team, most recently last month. She is the record holder for Curtis Cup victories.

"I've actually known about it for several months," Thompson said. "I think my mother has been having a terrible time not telling anyone."