[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 125 (Friday, September 29, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10753-S10754]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 602--MEMORIALIZING AND HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF 
                              BYRON NELSON

  Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Dorgan, and Mr. Stevens) 
submitted the following resolution, which was:

                              S. Res. 602

       Whereas Byron Nelson was born on a cotton farm in Ellis 
     County, near Waxahachie, Texas, on February 4, 1912;
       Whereas Byron Nelson became a caddie and taught himself the 
     game of golf at Glen Garden Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas 
     in 1922;
       Whereas Byron Nelson became a professional golfer in 1932 
     and won 54 PGA-sanctioned tournaments;
       Whereas Byron Nelson is widely credited as being the father 
     of the modern swing;
       Whereas, in the 1945 professional season, Byron Nelson won 
     a 1-season record of 18 tournaments and averaged 68.33 
     strokes;

[[Page S10754]]

       Whereas, in the 1945 professional season, Byron Nelson won 
     a record 11 straight tournaments;
       Whereas Byron Nelson was the winner of 5 major 
     championships including the 1937 and 1945 Masters, the 1939 
     United States Open, and the 1940 and 1945 PGA Championships;
       Whereas the Salesmanship Club of Dallas created the EDS 
     Byron Nelson Championship in 1968 and remains the only PGA 
     Tour event named in honor of a professional golfer;
       Whereas the EDS Byron Nelson Championship has raised more 
     than $94,000,000 for the Salesmanship Club Youth and Family 
     Centers and has raised more money for charity than any other 
     PGA Tour event;
       Whereas Byron Nelson was elected as an inaugural inductee 
     into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974; and
       Whereas Byron Nelson will be remembered for his kindness 
     and dedication that have won the respect and admiration of 
     his peers, present-day players, and fans of all ages: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate honors the life and legacy of 
     Byron Nelson.

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I would like to take this moment to 
honor a dear friend and great legend who passed away on September 26, 
2006. Byron Nelson leaves behind a legacy as the ``lord'' of golf and a 
true gentleman, and he will be dearly missed.
  Byron Nelson was born to a cotton farmer on February 4, 1912, in Long 
Branch, TX. At the age of 10, his golf career began as a caddy at the 
Glen Garden Country Club in Fort Worth. While at Glen Garden, Byron 
sharpened his skills and put them to the test in a number of 
competitions, even beating out another future golf legend, Ben Hogan, 
in a caddy tournament in 1927.
  Facing the labor shortages of the Great Depression, Byron decided to 
turn professional in 1932 at the young age of 22. By 1937, he had won 
his first Masters. In his 14 years as a professional, Byron won 54 
sanctioned tournaments, including the Masters in 1937 and 1942, the 
U.S. Open in 1939, and the PGA Championship in 1940 and 1945.
  As a hemophiliac, Byron was excused from military service during 
World War II, which allowed him time to perfect his game. In 1944, he 
won 13 of the 23 tournaments he played, and in the following year won a 
record 18 times in 31 starts. During his record season of 1945, Byron 
reached what is widely considered the least attainable record in golf: 
an astounding 11 victories in a row with a season scoring average of 
68.33.
  In 1946, Byron retired from the game of golf to his 673-acre ranch in 
Roanoke, TX. A true Texan, Byron had said throughout his career that 
his incentive for playing well was that he ``could see the prize money 
going into the ranch, buying a tractor, or a cow.''
  In 1974, he was rewarded by the golfing community for his efforts on 
the course by being elected as an inaugural inductee into the World 
Golf Hall of Fame.
  Always humble about his talent for the game of golf, Byron once said, 
``I know a little about golf. I know how to make stew. And I know how 
to be a decent man.'' Byron Nelson will not only be remembered for his 
golf game, but also for his graciousness and humility. Through his 
involvement, the EDS Byron Nelson Championship has raised over $94 
million for the Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers, which has 
contributed more money for charity than any other event on the PGA 
Tour. Additionally, since 1983, the Byron and Louise Nelson Golf 
Endowment Fund has provided over $1.5 million in endowment funds to 
Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas.
  Today we honor Byron Nelson and his outstanding achievements both on 
and off the golf course. My prayers go out to his wife, Peggy, and the 
Nelson family.

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