HR4902MAY12

TheWeekInCongress.com (TM)

Week Ending May 12, 2006

H.R.4902 To award a Congressional gold medal to Byron Nelson in recognition of his significant contributions to the game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a commentator.

Funds would be drawn from the US Mint Enterprise Fund to pay for a Congressional Gold medal to be awarded to the Late Byron Nelson and to mint duplicate medals to be sold to offset the costs of creating the medals.

Congress finds that Byron Nelson was a top golfer during WWII, had a 13 year career in which he won 54 victories including 11 in a row in 1945. He won 5 majors, including 2 Masters and two PGA Championships and the US Open.

Mr. Nelson went on to be a renowned golf commentator winning many awards in his lifetime and making many civic donations of time and money as well.

Sponsor: Rep. Mike Burgess (R-TX-28^th)

Vote: Passed House by voice vote May 10, 2006

Cost to the taxpayers: The sales of duplicate medals is expected to cover all costs of designing, striking and distributing the medal(s).

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The Congress finds as follows:

(1) Byron Nelson was a top player in the sport of golf during the World War II era and his accomplishments as a player, a teacher, and commentator are renowned.

(2) Byron Nelson won 54 career victories, including a record 11 in a row in 1945, during his short 13-year career.

(3) Byron Nelson won 5 majors, including 2 Masters (1937 and 1942), two Professional Golf Association (PGA) Championships (1940 and 1945) and the U.S. Open (1939).

(4) Sports journalist Bill Nichols recently ranked the greatest seasons on the PGA tour for The Dallas Morning News and picked Roanoke, Texas-resident Byron Nelson's 1945 tour as the greatest season of golf in American history.

(5) In 1945, Byron Nelson accumulated 18 total victories, 11 of which were consecutive, while averaging 68.33 strokes per round for 30 tournaments.

(6) At the Seattle Open in 1945, Byron Nelson shot a record 62 for 18 holes and the world record 259, 29 shots under par for 72 holes.

(7) Byron Nelson is one of only two golfers to be named `Male Athlete of the Year' twice by the Associated Press: in 1944, when he won 7 tournaments and averaged 69.67 strokes for 85 rounds, and again after his 1945 season.

(8) The World Golf Hall of Fame honored Byron Nelson in 2004 by featuring an exhibit entitled `Byron Nelson: A Champion . . . A Gentleman'.

(9) Byron Nelson was selected for the Ryder Cup 4 times--in 1937, 1939, 1947 and 1965, and on that last occasion he led the United States Ryder Cup team as team captain to victory over Great Britain.

(10) Byron Nelson was also a pioneer in the golf business, helping to develop the golf shoes and umbrellas used today.

(11) In 1966, True Temper created the `Iron Byron' robot to replicate Byron Nelson's swing in order to test the company's equipment, but the robot was eventually used for club and ball testing by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and many other manufacturing companies.

(12) Byron Nelson mentored many golf hopefuls, including 1964 Player of the Year Ken Venturi and 6-time PGA Player of the Year Tom Watson.

(13) Byron Nelson was one of the first golf analysts on network television where his understanding of the game in general, and the golf swing in particular, was demonstrably profound.

(14) Byron Nelson received the United States Golf Association's Bob Jones Award for distinguished sportsmanship in golf in 1974.

(15) In 1974, the Golf Writers Association of America presented Byron Nelson with the Richardson Award for consistently outstanding contributions to golf.

(16) Since 1983, the Byron and Louise Nelson Golf Endowment Fund has provided over $1,500,000 in endowment funds to Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas.

(17) Byron Nelson received the PGA Distinguished Service Award in 1993. This award is presented to an individual who has helped perpetuate the ideals and values of the PGA.

(18) Byron Nelson has served as an honorary chairperson for the Metroport Meals on Wheels since 1992.

(19) In 1994, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America presented Byron Nelson with the Old Tom Morris Award for outstanding contributions to the game.

(20) Byron Nelson helped to develop the Tournament Players Course (TPC) Four Seasons at Los Colinas, Texas, site of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship and the Byron Nelson Golf School, into a world-class facility.

(21) The EDS Byron Nelson Championship is the only PGA tour event named in honor of a professional golfer and traditionally attracts the strongest players in the sport.

(22) Since its inception, the EDS Byron Nelson Championship has raised $88,000,000 for Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers, a nonprofit agency that provides education and mental health services for more than 2,700 children and their families in the greater Dallas area.

(23) In 2002, Byron Nelson received the prestigious Donald Ross Award from the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) for his significant contribution to the game of golf and the profession of golf course architecture.

(24) The United States Golf Association presented Byron Nelson the Ike Grainger Award for volunteer service to the game of golf in 2002.

(25) In 2002, the National Golf Foundation presented Byron Nelson with the Graffis Award for outstanding lifelong contributions to the game of golf.

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