A fix for front door?!

Hey all - looking for creative ideas to fix this hole in front door - where previous owner removed a lock. Maybe some sort of brass rosette or small wooden medallion ? Thanks

Fill it in with plastic wood or outdoor spackle and paint the door, which looks like it needs it anyway.

Right diameter wood dowel cut to fit depth of hole; wood glue, wood putty for screw holes, sand and paint. Might that work?

For as high -traffic and is sublet to being slammed closed I would use bondo

Rather than plastic wood (which will crack) or a dowel cutoff (which will expose end grain) I'd use the plug generated by an appropriately sized hole saw, aligning the grain.

I liked the idea of a brass rosette! I bet you could find something in one of the catalogs for interesting hardware.

Replace with a new lock? doesn't have to work.