| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing Paul Azinger, captain of the |
| 3 | victorious 2008 United States Ryder Cup team. |
| 4 |
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| 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 |
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| 44 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 45 | Florida: |
| 46 |
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| 47 | That the Florida House of Representatives recognizes and |
| 48 | commends Floridian Paul Azinger for his leadership of the |
| 49 | victorious 2008 United States Ryder Cup team, his efforts as a |
| 50 | player on earlier United States Ryder Cup teams, and his |
| 51 | accomplishments in and contributions to professional golf. |
| 52 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 53 | presented to Paul Azinger as a tangible token of the sentiments |
| 54 | expressed herein. |