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By Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- What do you say when you learn you've been inducted into a hall of fame, one of the highest honors in any sport?

Hubert Green (left) and Curtis Strange give an anecdote-filled press conference in Savannah, Ga. on Wednesday. (WireImage)

"To be involved in this organization here is the pinnacle of life. I'm not sure if I qualify or not, but they're letting me in now, so the hell with everybody else," said Hubert Green, invoking laughter from the audience and fellow World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Curtis Strange.

"It's certainly a wonderful feeling," Strange added. "My gosh, to think about being involved in an organization that goes back a long, long way, back to the greats that we grew up idolizing, that were our heroes growing up, it's quite overwhelming."

The two were named the newest World Golf Hall of Fame members at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf on Wednesday. They made quite a contrasting pair as they stood on the podium after the announcement. Clad in a tan vest and a polo shirt in colors you'd find in a bowl of sherbet, the tall and lean Green had a few inches on Strange, who was outfitted in an electric blue polo.

They might not win a look-a-like contest anytime soon, but they did have similarities in their careers and outlook on the game.

Both won nearly 20 events -- Green had 19, Strange had 17. The duo won a pair of majors apiece: Green at the 1977 U.S. Open at Southern Hills and the 1985 PGA Championship at Cherry Hills, Strange had back-to-back U.S. Open wins in 1988 at The Country Club and 1989 at Oak Hill Country Club.

And, as the golf axiom says, never end on a bad shot when practicing, right? Well, Green and Strange did the PGA TOUR equivalent of ending with a perfect drive, with both earning their last PGA TOUR victory at a major championship.

The two, Green noted, are also similar in their approach to the game.

"I think we're a lot alike. We don't look back. People have asked me about things in the past. I don't look behind. If I look behind me, I couldn't go forward," he said.

After such successful careers, Strange and Green were voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2007. Strange received 70 percent of the votes and will be inducted under the PGA TOUR ballot, while Green was selected in the Veteran's category with 52 percent of the votes.

The hardest part, both Strange and Green said, was not telling anyone the good news. Well, scratch that. They're not supposed to tell anyone. Overwhelmed by the honor, though, Strange wasn't quite able to keep the excitement to himself.

"We haven't been able to tell many people. Although to be honest with you, I've told quite a few. I go against the grain," he said. "It's hard not to tell immediate family, my brother, who has been a large part of this."

When Strange was one of the top players in the 1980s, his now 20-something sons were too young to remember "dad do really well," so he's glad that they can share this with him.

Green's sons and family were also exceptionally proud, as his middle son sent a special congratulatory email that Green said was very touching. He's now excited that others can know about his Hall of Fame achievement.

"This is the first event since we received the honor [that people can know]. Now the public's calling me. My phone has rang three or four times since I'm sitting here on vibrate, it's sort of a feeling in the back of my pocket. If it's not a death threat, it's going to be a pretty good phone call, I think."

His death threat line may seem out of place, but it wasn't just a passing comment. In 1977, Green played the final four holes of the U.S. Open knowing that a threat had been made on his life. Sitting on a two-shot lead heading into the 15th hole, Green was approached by the USGA and given three options: clear the course of spectators and play without a gallery, return the next day and finish with detectors to assure that everything was secure, or continue to play on Sunday with undercover police in the gallery.

Green opted for the last choice. "I said, 'Let's play.' I can't be more nervous than I am right now. Let's get it over with."

After hitting his second shot on No. 15, Green lined up his putt at the back of the green prepared to aim for the pin placed at the front of the green.

"I got over the putt, I'm thinking, 'Am I supposed to be shot?' Hit the putt. Didn't hear anything. I said, 'Chicken.'"

Strange recalled Green's bravery that day when describing his fellow inductee.

"I know what I remember him for," said Strange. "Tenacity... overachiever in a very, very positive way, and quite frankly winning the Open under difficult circumstances on Sunday afternoon. I don't think there's many people that could have done that.."

As for Strange's most memorable accomplishments, he expects that he is best known in the golf world for his back-to-back U.S. Open titles or his stint as the U.S. Ryder Cup team captain in 2002.

"In my case, I hope [I'm remembered for] a U.S. Open. It might be putting Tiger last in the Ryder Cup singles. Who the hell knows?" said Strange. "I don't know. Nor do we really care at this point. Anything you've done is all part of your career."

Bottom line is, though their careers aren't necessarily over -- both will play in the Champions Tour event this week -- it's rewarding and -- as Green put it, "almost a relief" -- to know that they have a tangible recognition of their PGA TOUR achievements.

"To finally get in the Hall of Fame, it's nice," Green said. "Our record's there. We can't change it. Whatever we do in life right now isn't going to make a difference."