ESPN Golf

HOUSTON -- The Harmon family, which has been teaching the best players for a half-century, was honored Thursday by the Golf Writers Association of America with the William D. Richardson Award for outstanding contributions to golf.

The GWAA also honored Judy Rankin with the Ben Hogan Award for remaining active in golf despite a physical handicap or serious illness, and Nancy Lopez with the ASAP Sports/Jim Murray Award for her relationship with the media.

They will accept the awards at the GWAA's annual dinner April 4 in Augusta, Ga.

Starting with former Masters champion and Winged Foot pro Claude Harmon, and continuing with his four sons -- Butch, Craig, Dick and Bill -- the Harmons have touched generations of golfers. Butch Harmon worked with Greg Norman and Tiger Woods during their rise to No. 1, and now works with players such as Adam Scott and Darren Clarke.

"This award is about our whole family, something we're very proud of," Butch Harmon told ESPN.com. "As a family, we're very proud of all our accomplishments. And we look at this honor as a family accomplishment."

Craig Harmon has been head pro at Oak Hill since 1972, while Bill Harmon is a teaching pro at Toscana Country Club in Palm Springs, Calif. Dick Harmon, who died in February at age 58, worked in Houston with Lanny Wadkins, Lucas Glover and Fred Couples.

Rankin, a Hall of Famer on the LPGA Tour, was a golf analyst for ABC Sports whose career was halted this year by breast cancer. After several operations, she returned to the fairways at a World Golf Championship in London.

Lopez won 48 times during her Hall of Fame career and put the LPGA Tour in the spotlight during an amazing rookie season, winning five straight tournaments in 1978. Despite all the attention, she embraced the media and remains one of golf's most outgoing personalities.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.