Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson win Hall of Fame Award

Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson have been pipped by record-breaking PGA Championship winning golfer Jason Day for ‘The Don Award’ (named after legendary cricketer Sir Donald Bradman) at the Australian Sports Hall of Fame Induction event. The award is given to the sportsman whose achievements and example most inspired the nation. Day overcame a battle with vertigo, even collapsing in the second round of the US Open before finishing in the top 10, and produced one of the greatest seasons in Australian golf history.

He won five times on the US PGA Tour, including a maiden major title in the US PGA Championship at a record 20-under-par and claimed the world number one ranking. He gave a nod to Fanning in his acceptance speech. “I’d like to congratulate the other 11 nominees – what a fantastic year they’ve had. All the way from the Socceroos to Mick Fanning punching a bloody shark in the face, it’s been an amazing year for all the 11 other nominees,” Day said.

Mick and Jules didn’t go home empty handed, however: The pair collected the ‘Spirit of Sport’ award for their bravery in the midst of the Great White shark attack in South Africa.

It’s only the fifth time the award has been activated by the Hall of Fame. The surfers’ mothers, Liz Osborne and Nola Wilson, were on hand to collect the gongs with Mick and Jules in Portugal awaiting the beginning of the Rip Curl Pro, World Tour event.