Florida Senate - 2009                             (NP)    SR 722
       
       
       
       By Senator Bennett
       
       
       
       
       21-00905-09                                            2009722__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution recognizing Paul Azinger, captain of the
    3         victorious 2008 United States Ryder Cup team.
    4  
    5         WHEREAS, Paul Azinger was born on January 6, 1960, in
    6  Holyoke, Massachusetts, moved with his family to Florida when he
    7  was 2 months old, and today resides in Bradenton, Florida, and
    8         WHEREAS, Paul Azinger graduated from Sarasota High School,
    9  Brevard Community College, and Florida State University, where
   10  he was a member of the men's varsity golf team, and
   11         WHEREAS, since his entry into the world of professional
   12  golf in 1981, Paul Azinger has won 15 tournaments, including 12
   13  on the PGA Tour, most notably the 1992 Tour Championship and the
   14  1993 PGA Championship, and
   15         WHEREAS, Paul Azinger has played on four United States
   16  Ryder Cup teams, including the winning teams of 1991 and 1993,
   17  and
   18         WHEREAS, Ryder Cup competition began in 1927, following an
   19  exhibition match in 1926 between a team representing
   20  professionals from the United States and a team representing the
   21  British PGA, and
   22         WHEREAS, the Ryder Cup Trophy is awarded biennially to the
   23  winner of an event, called the Ryder Cup Matches, which is
   24  contested between teams from Europe and the United States, is
   25  jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European
   26  Tour, and is held alternately at sites in the United States and
   27  Europe, and
   28         WHEREAS, following years of dominance by the United States,
   29  in which its team won 20 of 21 matches between 1935 and 1983,
   30  the European team began a period of supremacy, winning 8 of 11
   31  matches between 1985 and 2006, including three straight
   32  victories in 2002, 2004, and 2006, and
   33         WHEREAS, Paul Azinger was named captain of the 2008 United
   34  States Ryder Cup team consisting of players Chad Campbell,
   35  Stewart Cink, Ben Curtis, Jim Furyk, J.B. Holmes, Anthony Kim,
   36  Justin Leonard, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Kenny Perry, Steve
   37  Stricker, and Boo Weekley and assistant captains Olin Browne,
   38  Raymond Floyd, and Dave Stockton, and
   39         WHEREAS, on September 19-21, 2008, at the Valhalla Golf
   40  Club in Louisville, Kentucky, Paul Azinger, as captain, led the
   41  United States Ryder Cup team to its first Ryder Cup victory
   42  since 1999, NOW, THEREFORE,
   43  
   44  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   45         
   46         That the Senate recognizes and commends Floridian Paul
   47  Azinger for his leadership of the victorious 2008 United States
   48  Ryder Cup team, his efforts as a player on earlier United States
   49  Ryder Cup teams, and his accomplishments in and contributions to
   50  professional golf.
   51         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with
   52  the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to Paul Azinger as
   53  a tangible token of the sentiments of the Florida Senate.