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EDS BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIP

April 22, 2008

IRVING, TEXAS

LANCE BARROW: Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the opening ceremonies of the 2008 EDS Byron Nelson Championship. As I look around the room, I see a lot of familiar faces, people that have been at the opening ceremony from year to year, and it kind of reminds me of a family reunion. The only difference is you enjoy coming to this family reunion. I was going to say the food is better, but I don't see any food here.
Welcome. We really appreciate everyone being here. My name is Lance Barrow. I'm the coordinating producer at CBS Sports in charge of golf and football and also a Colleyville native, Colleyville resident, and it's an honor to be here always at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship to do this tournament. I'm also honored to be in the company of the great Peggy Nelson, as always.
I have the privilege of going to church with Peggy and Byron, and I always say this about Byron Nelson and Peggy Nelson, and I know many of you in this room believe the same thing. When I'm around Peggy, I just feel better. Thanks for your enthusiasm, thanks for your love, not only of the great man but of this golf tournament, and everything that you do.
(Applause.)
LANCE BARROW: This year's theme is "a great time," which we know we'll have that, "and a greater cause." I think everyone knows it's going to be a great time, but it's also a greater cause that will inspire all of us for what this tournament, what the EDS Byron Nelson Championship does for our community and for the school.
Last year, and this is amazing, and every time I hear this figure, and I hear this figure all over the PGA TOUR as I travel around the country doing golf tournaments, this tournament, the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, out-raises every golf tournament on the PGA TOUR, not like as a close race. It's like baseball after 10-run rule you shut down in a baseball game. That's what this would be with the PGA TOUR; you just shut it down. There's not a competition at all. Last year this tournament raised over $6.4 million for the Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Center, which has brought over the years since 1968, and listen to this figure, and everyone in this room had something to do with this figure, they have raised since 1968 the amount of over $100 million for charity, especially for the Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Center. That is something to give back.
(Applause.)
LANCE BARROW: There are a lot of young people in this community, in this state, around this country or maybe even around the world that have benefitted from this golf tournament and what the Salesmanship Club has done, what EDS has done, and it's a real privilege to just be a part of this tournament, to be able to be a part of CBS Sports to be able to bring this golf tournament, EDS Byron Nelson Championship, to over 209 countries around the world starting Thursday with Golf Channel through Saturday and Sunday at CBS Sports. If you're at home, it will be 2:00 to 5:00 centrally, or 3:00 to 6:00 eastern time zone (laughter). Like I was saying to the great Boone Pickens at lunch, "I don't care what you're doing at that time as long as you have the TV turned to CBS Sports Saturday and Sunday."
Now it's my pleasure to introduce the chairman of the 2008 Byron Nelson Championship, Mr. John Nolan.
(Applause.)
JOHN NOLAN: Thank you, and thanks to all of you. This is incredible. This is the 40th year of this wonderful event. We truly appreciate you joining us to honor the legacy of Byron Nelson. We appreciate the great job CBS does for us. They're wonderful, they're our friends, they treat this tournament with the proper reference and the proper form.
As Lance said, we're the first and so far only PGA TOUR tournament to raise over $100 million for charity, and we intend to top it through innovative effective programs to help children and their families in the Dallas area. I think everyone needs to understand we are the stewards of that money. We're not simply writing checks. You can see our work product, if you will, to my immediate left. That's a lot better set of reds than the ones I'm wearing (laughter) and what everybody else is wearing.
We could not be successful without the support of many groups, so let me thank some of the special groups that we want to recognize today. First and foremost is our great title sponsor EDS. They're the best on TOUR.
(Applause.)
JOHN NOLAN: I would specifically like to recognize the two men on the dais, Mr. Ron Rittenmeyer, chairman, president and chief executive officer and Jeff Heller, the vice-chairman.
Throughout this week we're going to see an incredible effort by EDS from the very highest levels to all the volunteers who come in from all over the world, literally, to help us with this tournament.
Next I'd like to thank our host city, the city of Irving and its excellent convention and visitors bureau for all they do to support this championship. I'd like to recognize the mayor of Irving, the Honorable Herb Gears; Tony Gonzales, the Irving city manager; and Maura Gast, the director of the Irving convention and visitors bureau.
For the fans and golfers who have joined us at the Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas amazingly for the last 25 years, this year will be a revelation. We've been living it, as have they, as has EDS, but for many of you this is a first look at an incredible work product and an incredible one-year journey. We are all amazed at the spectacular golf course that's been created by the team from the Four Seasons, its owners BentleyForbes, the PGA TOUR and, of course, the design genius of our good friend D.A. Weibring.
(Applause.)
JOHN NOLAN: And the best news, at least as to my part, is it is now over and I'll turn it over to a true speaker, D.A. Weibring.
D.A. WEIBRING: It's a pleasure to be here. Welcome. We are very happy to be at the finish line. As John mentioned, the reason why this happened is we see those youngsters over there and the smiles on their faces. There were a few frowns on a few faces the last 12 months. We did have a challenge, but thanks to the teamwork of the five groups involved, obviously BentleyForbes, the new owners, the Four Seasons, the Salesmanship Club, the PGA TOUR and our sponsor EDS, I think it was unprecedented the amount of team work done and involved, and John Cunningham, the golf course superintendent, Paul Earnest, the director of golf, Michael Newcombe, the general manager here, there was teamwork every week, and we were challenged by the weather.
I am particularly proud of our team. I want to have our lead architect Steve Wolfard stand up right back here.
(Applause.)
D.A. WEIBRING: Steve was on the property almost every day for the last six months getting it ready. Also Josh Peters, please stand, as well. And I think Sam Swanson is around someplace. He's got the red pants on.
Our team was very honored to work together, and our focus was to honor Byron. Plain and simple, he cared about this property year-round and he cared about the members, the hotel guests, and obviously his tournament. He had mentioned many, many times that this was the most important thing in his life. All the major championships and the medals of honor, all the awards he'd ever received, he cared more about giving back to this area and these kids and to golf along with the Salesmanship Club than anything he ever did. So that was our theme.
There were a few times, Peggy, I walked past that statue and asked for a little help (laughter) because I know he's very close, and we were very fortunate because the feedback has come in, everybody has worked out, I think the golf course has turned out very well. The players' feedback is terrific. It was nice to see the picture in the paper this morning (laughter), a little different than last year's picture.
But thank you for everybody participating, the entire team. We were proud to be a small part of it, and I hope everybody has a great week. Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
BROOKS CULLUM: Thank you, D.A., and thank you for bringing a truly great venue to the PGA TOUR. I'm Brooks Cullum, the 2007 tournament chairman, and that's why I look far more relaxed than John Nolan. At this time I would like to ask Scott Verplank, the 2007 EDS Byron Nelson Championship champion, and Peggy Nelson to please come to the podium.
Scott, what a champion you have been, and Peggy, I think that you would agree that Scott's victory was almost preordained. For many years this keeper trophy was presented by Byron Nelson himself. Scott, I hope you will accept this trophy from the tournament and Peggy and know that we are thrilled to have you as our defending champion.
(Applause.)
SCOTT VERPLANK: Most of you all know what a great honor it is for me to be here, but it was a great honor for me to win the tournament, this tournament, because I loved it, and still love it, and Byron meant so much to me. This little guy right here probably means a lot more to me than most of the past champions.
I've had his hat for a year. I told Peggy this afternoon that I brought it back. Unfortunately she's not going to let me keep it forever. But I'll put this in a little spot that I have for it.
Thanks to the Salesmanship Club again. Y'all do an unbelievable job, not only from doing all the charitable work that you do, but running the tournament, honoring Byron Nelson and what he meant to golf and to really life. You all do a great job. Thanks a lot.
(Applause.)
LANCE BARROW: I'll tell you, if you want to have a champion and something that means something to that champion, the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, Scott Verplank, not only what Byron Nelson means to Scott, as we all know, but also the kind of class guy that he is. And that's the reason PGA professional golf is what it is, because of these two gentlemen right now along with a lot of other guys who will be competing.
Scott and I get to spend a lot of time together on the road, for two things. We get to eat a lot of meals together. Obviously he's in better shape than I am. But also Bob Tway and Scott Verplank, they eat a lot of food. I don't know why I look the way I do and they look the way they do.
Also I have a collection of football helmets, and every once in a while Scott will say to me, you need this helmet, that helmet, I'll help you out.
One of the big honors of my life is I was with my youngest daughter on a mission trip in Mexico, and we had a day off, and it was okay with all of our ministers who was running this mission trip, we were out playing golf. I was trying to hit a shot, and all of a sudden this guy walks up to me and said, "Scott Verplank wants to talk to you about something." "What? How does he know I'm here?" He says, "Hey, I'm on my way to San Antonio for a camping trip with my children. What's that barbecue place you eat at all the time?" I said, "Scott, I'm trying to play golf here right now. Talk to me later."
That was like the biggest honor, not that I did a great Masters or Super Bowl, but what restaurant while he was driving. He's a great friend.
And last year one of the greatest shots that we had, Ricky Blaine, that I see here in this crowd, our 18th hole camera person who's been with CBS for years, got this shot once the ball went through the hole, our director Steve Milton stayed on that shot instead of cutting away like we should do, and you saw Scott Verplank point to the heavens for Byron Nelson, and that was one of the most touching moments that we had on the PGA TOUR all last year. Once again, Scott, congratulations.
(Applause.)
LANCE BARROW: I'm looking at Tracy over here who's kind of running this, and she's kind of saying, okay, you're talking too much. But I usually tell Jim Nantz he's talking too much and he never listens to me, either. That's the way it is.
But it is my pleasure, and I think one of the great partners that not only the city of Dallas, city of Irving, this whole community, has, and for this golf tournament, I know one of the great partners CBS Sports has is EDS. They have become great friends of ours at CBS. I know what they means to the Salesmanship Club of Dallas and this area, the Four Seasons, and it is my pleasure to introduce the chairman, president, chief executive officer of the title sponsor, a great guy, great friend, Ron Rittenmeyer.
(Applause.)
RON RITTENMEYER: Peggy, Lance, thank you. I've got to say that this has been an interesting year, to say the least. We had rain more days than we wanted, and we had many conversations about rain. There were only so many things I guess we could do. But between the Four Seasons, the Salesmanship Club, D.A., everybody pitched in, and I think this course is spectacular.
Last year it was difficult to say the least, but it was difficult to see some of the filming of the greens, which sometimes I thought looked a little bit like a parking lot.
I've been around this whole course, and it is spectacular. I just want to comment to D.A. that you deserve a hell of a recognition because we're very proud of what you've done.
(Applause.)
RON RITTENMEYER: This event from the EDS standpoint, we're a global company, so what does it mean outside of Dallas? That's something that you have to ask when you're a global company, so what does it mean? It means a lot. It's in our fabric. We support this because we believe in it. We believe in it because, as was said, of the product that's sitting right there, these children. We believe in it because of Byron's memory, and we believe in it because we think it is one of the greatest things that happens in the Dallas Fort Worth area.
We enjoy being the title sponsor. We like having our name on everything that's here. We like doing it. We have over 300 people that have volunteered to be here this week from 11 countries and 24 states. We think that says something about our culture and our sport and our fabric because these people give their own time to come and do this. It's not -- it's important that we be able to write a check and support it. It's more important that we believe in it, and we do believe in it, and we're very committed to it.
This year we're going to do something different. Last year we did the motorcycle. That was exciting. But this year we're going to do a little something different. We started an advertising campaign this year that you'll see running, and the focus is on our belief that we are the business ally, so we are behind the scenes, running a lot of companies' infrastructures all over the world. We are the business ally.
Well, we think that the golfers have a business ally, and that's in the caddie. So we are going to give away this year a Cadillac XLR-V, the sport model, the fast model, the kind of car I love. We're going to give that away to a caddie, so it's a Caddie for a caddie, so you've heard about that. The pro who wins, his caddie will receive the keys, and it's not a lease and it's not you get to use it for a week; it's a car. We're giving them a car, full up, because we think that we need to also play honor to the person behind the scenes that operates it. So it's pretty exciting for us.
So at the end of the day, it's all about Byron's legacy, it's all about what this tournament does. It's about people who work relentlessly and the fact that if you're going to make something successful, you ought to be the leading tournament that provides the greatest amount to charity. Why do you want to be the second one, right? We want to continue to be the first one, so this is about doing what we do and doing it in a relentless, outstanding way. That's what a first-class company does, first-class tournament, first-class golfers, first-class course, so we're proud to be part of it. Thanks.
(Applause.)
ANDY STERN: Thank you, and on behalf of the caddies down there, I think I'll go out on a limb and say thank you very much. I think the players are really going to enjoy the fact that it goes fast.
We say it all the time, but we truly believe it, that EDS is absolutely the very best title sponsor on the PGA TOUR. You know, it's not the money. All title sponsors have to write checks, as Ron said, but it's the EDS commitment to our tournament and the top level support, and that's very important. Everybody at EDS that we've met and worked with over the years truly believes in what our charity does for children and families in the Dallas area. That's what it's all about.
I'm Andy Stern, the chairman of the Salesmanship Club charitable golf of Dallas, and it's my pleasure to talk about helping children, which has been our focus at the Salesmanship Club for nearly 88 years. In partnership with the Byron Nelson, the PGA TOUR has made many things possible for us.
There's lots of groups like us around the country, but one of them that particularly shares our commitment to young people, and especially those that we all serving, and that's the PGA TOUR Wives Association. It's my pleasure to welcome Julie Petrovic, president of the PGA TOUR Wives Association, and Nayeli Gonzalez. Nayeli is a graduate of the J. Erik Jonsson Community School, and she's the current recipient of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas scholarship. Julie and Nayeli, please join us.
(Applause.)
JULIE PETROVIC: My name is Julie Petrovic, and before we do this presentation, I just wanted to say on a personal note thank you to EDS, to the Salesmanship Club and to the Nelsons. This tournament is awesome, and coming to the EDS Byron Nelson is like being welcomed home. So thank you very much.
Now, for the PGA TOUR Wives Association, we are a charity that is committed to children. We do this nationwide. We feel very strongly that the children are the most important thing that we can do to change our world. I've been to the school in previous years, and I want to tell you, these kids are so smart (laughter). I'm in awe of them, and I mean that. I have two small kids, and I am just amazed at what they do at the school.
So it is with great, great pleasure that I today present this check for $2,500. It's the first check that we've ever done as a scholarship check, and we're thrilled to be presenting it to the EDS Byron Nelson Salesmanship Club for their scholarship fund.
(Applause.)
ANDY STERN: Thank you, Julie, and on behalf of all of us at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, please thank your fellow wives and husbands, as well, for all they do to help us and these kids. Thank you very much.
And congratulations, Nayeli. We give a lot of scholarships to folks and young people who have been through our programs, and you are a great representative of all your fellow graduates. Thank you and congratulations.
(Applause.)
ANDY STERN: Last year you will remember that the Salesmanship Club established two significant awards programs in Byron's honor. Both programs are designed to continue Byron's legacy of serving youth and their families in slightly different ways.
The Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Awards is designed to carry on Byron's legacy for encouraging young golfers. This year five junior golfers from around the world were named by an international group of professional golfers and golf officials as the first recipients of the Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Awards.
We believe that recognizing junior golfers from around the world and bringing them to the atmosphere of an exciting PGA tournament benefits the future of golf, enriches our commitment to young people, and in a very singular way shows the strong interest that Byron Nelson had in giving back both to the game of golf and to his community. They're here for a couple days, and I'd like to introduce to you the 2008 Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Awards recipients: Cody Gribble of Dallas, Luciano Garcia of Mexico, Patrick Winther of Denmark. We had two other recipients. Dylan Fritelli of South Africa, and Cory Whitsett of Houston are the fourth and fifth honorees this year. Dylan was selected to play for his country, South Africa, in Zambia in the Zone 6 qualifier in the Zambian Open this week and was unable to join us in Dallas. Cory, as well, is playing in a tournament this week in Florida and is also unable to be with us. I believe his parents are here with us. But we thank them both, and they will all get, I guess, the spoils of this, but more important, the recognition. And I think they'll hear later about Byron's commitment to young golfers.
At this point I'd like to call on the president of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, Mr. Randy Engstrom, for a special presentation. Randy?
RANDY ENGSTROM: Last year the Salesmanship Club initiated the Byron Nelson prize to honor our tournament namesake and dear friend, Byron Nelson. This prize is to be presented to a person or organization in the Golf World who exemplifies the ideals of giving back that Byron personified. This year we solicited nominations from golfers on the PGA TOUR, the Champions Tour, the Nationwide Tour, and others around the world, including golf writers and editors. We received many nominations of men and women who have translated success with the game of golf into service for their community, just as Byron did throughout his life.
The permanent trophy recognizing the honoree includes a wooden clock, one of 14 that Byron left unfinished in his wood shop. In addition, a $100,000 contribution will be made to the honoree's designated charity as a key part of this prize. This year we're pleased to announce that Dallas philanthropist T. Boone Pickens is underwriting the Byron Nelson prize. Please join me in recognizing Mr. Pickens for his generosity.
(Applause.)
RANDY ENGSTROM: It's my privilege and pleasure to present the 2008 Byron Nelson prize to a great and long-time friend of Byron's. He excelled as a golfer including a legendary victory at the 1964 U.S. Open Championship at Congressional Country Club. He has excelled as a broadcaster, bringing PGA TOUR golf to millions of viewers on CBS for 30 years. He's a man of great faith, courage and perseverance. He is clearly a man of whom Byron Nelson was proud and who is clearly deserving of receiving the Byron Nelson Prize. Please join me in honoring Mr. Ken Venturi.
(Applause.)
T. BOONE PICKENS: Just a couple things. It's a privilege for me to be associated with the Byron Nelson tournament. I've been able to see it many times, but this is the first time I'm here, so I'm thrilled to have an official connection to it. I would like to comment about my guy down on the corner, Verplank. It hasn't been said, and I will say it, that Scott and I both went to Oklahoma State University (laughter).
I'd like to say something about Ken. We go back a long way, and we played golf together one time, and he gave me a great, great tip on my game. We played around a few holes, and he said, "boone, I think I can give you some help," and I said, "I'd appreciate it, I need it." He said, "You would like to hit the ball further off the tee, wouldn't you?" I said, "Gosh, yeah, I'd like to have some real distance." He said, "I think I can give you a tip that will give you a lot of satisfaction," and I said, "I'm ready; what is it, Ken?" He said, "You look like you're a pretty fast guy." I said, "Yeah, I was pretty fast." He said, "Well, this will come in handy on this tip. Step up to the ball, get ready. Then when you hit it," he said, "turn around and run as fast as you can back the other direction. That will make you feel like you hit it a long way."
Ken, that has really come in handy (laughter).
KEN VENTURI: I also told him I thought I saw a swing in his flaw (laughter).
I can't tell you how honored I am to accept this award and the amount of money that goes back to the charity that my wife Kathy is on the board of, the Loma Linda Children's Hospital For Cancer, to give back.
I'll tell you what, this is something special, to go back how far I go. I first saw Byron Nelson in 1946 in San Francisco when he won the San Francisco Open. He won at Olympic Club.
I came home after watching him play and told my mother, "I saw the greatest man I ever saw in my life, greatest golfer, and I want to grow up to be just like him." She said, "That will be fine." I said, "He even spoke to me." "Really? What did he say?" He said, "Son, will you get your camera and get back behind the ropes; you're in my line." She said, "That's not talking to you." I said, "Yes, he was."
I never thought at the time that he would take me under his wing in 1952, and I'll tell you what, everything he ever said, I had the notes and everything. I never knew a man who gave so much. He never charged me for a lesson in my life, and because of that I never charged anything that I learned from him.
I remember that he was the example when I met him in '52 after the National Amateur and we played at San Francisco Golf Club, and he said, "I'm just going to watch you today, no lessons while we're here. We'll play." So I proceeded to shoot 66. He shot 68, and in my humble way, I thought, what could he possibly show me? I'm good, I'm really good (laughter).
I should have remembered when my father -- of course Byron is the same way, when my father told me how good I was, he said, "Son, when you're as good as you are, you can tell everybody. When you get really good, son, they'll tell you."
So I couldn't wait any longer. I said, "Mr. Nelson, what do you think?" He said, "Ken, that is really good. I'm going to be in town for three or four more days. I'll meet you out here tomorrow morning at 9:00 o'clock. There's about seven or eight things we've got to work on." I'll never forget it.
And all those notes, those days, I still have the notes, when he wrote them down, everything he said. I think I'm a pretty good authority in the game of golf. But I was taught by Byron Nelson.
He was a man who gave back so much, and I think of him when he asked me, "What's the greatest sporting event you ever saw?" I said, "That's easy." I was the chairman of the Special Olympics in Florida and the Down's syndrome children running the 100-yard dash, and two of them are ready to cross the line, and they looked back and their friend had fallen down, and they stopped and went back and picked him up and took him across the finish line. And it showed me -- and I would say, as Byron would say, you never look so far ahead that you don't look back to see who you can help, and that was Byron Nelson. Byron was like a second father to me.
I can remember something that I'll share with these two great players here. When Byron Nelson -- this is just how Byron Nelson was. We played exhibition tours, and he would always get on the first tee and say, "What's the course record and who holds it?" We got in the car, and I said, "Byron, why do you always ask what's the course record and who owns it?" He said, "Ken, tournaments are different, but as long as you work with me, remember one thing: You find out what the course record is and who owns it, and if it's owned by the home pro, you never break it, because we're only visiting and he lives there." And what a great line that was, but that was Byron Nelson.
I could tell you so many stories but I know they've got to tee off here Thursday so I don't want to go into them. But those were times that I can tell you, the times we spoke, Peggy knows how many times, and I just loved the man. He gave me everything. My 35 years with CBS and my knowledge on the game was taught by Byron Nelson. Now a young man 14 years old would be accepting an award today. That was 1946. And what it is to come back and be honored and to have a check for charity and to be able to be in your presence, I can only say that I am truly grateful.
I often wonder what I could have done if I didn't lose the use of my hands, but I guess fate has a way of bending a twig and fashioning a man who has better instinct. If things had been different, I would never have met Byron Nelson. I would have never have been here today. I can truly say I loved him, and he was like a father to me.
Have a good week, and all you've done for charity, EDS, and everything there is, and for honoring me. I can only say, my God bless you and may God bless America. Thank you. Thank you.
(Applause.)
LANCE BARROW: What an afternoon. I was a 19-year-old kid, grew up on a dairy farm not far from where we are now, and I had this great thought that one day I wanted to be a producer in sports television. I didn't know how it worked, so I went out to the Colonial, asked a guy on Monday morning, the legendary Chuck Will, if I could work for CBS. He was out sunning himself and he never looked at me. He said, "Come back Thursday, son, and I'll give you something to do."
So I came back on Thursday, and he said, "I'll tell you what I'm going to do. You're a southerner, so is Pat Summerall. The wind blows hard here in Fort Worth, and you'll keep the 18 tower from blowing away, and I'm going to put you up on the tower with Pat Summerall and Ken Venturi." And that started in 1975, my relationship with Ken Venturi, and it's lasted to -- it gets better every year.
I miss him. I did everything I could to try to persuade him to stay with CBS, but he thought it was time to move on. I always think about, and this is a personal thing, I always think about I don't ever want to embarrass my family, I don't ever want to embarrass my university, but more importantly, I don't ever want to embarrass Ken Venturi, Byron Nelson, Pat Summerall, Frank Chirkinian, Chuck Will. Some of these names mean something to you, some don't. They were my mentors.
For me to sit at a table today with Boone Pickens and Ken Venturi and Kathleen and Peggy, and they actually know my first name, that is amazing. Ken, I hope we still make you proud at CBS. We think about you every time we go on the air. You're always in our thoughts.
As a matter of fact, I'm proud of what we do at CBS. I know this isn't in the script. Tracy, I'm sorry, but some of Ken Venturi's colleagues at CBS are here, Ricky Blaine who was on the tower for years with Kenny is here, gets such great shots of the guys coming up; Paul Sherwood is back here doing the audio. He walks up the 18th fairway with guys like Scott Verplank when they're about to win. He worked with Kenny for over 30 years, and other guys who are here at CBS Sports. We say all the time at CBS Sports, we're family, and Ken Venturi is our head of our family, along with Frank Chirkinian. We always think about it. We never forget him, and he's always in our thoughts, and it's a privilege to be with you.
Congratulations, Kenny. I know how much it means because you've told me so many stories about Byron Nelson. About four people asked me last night, "Have you read the book 'The Match'?" I said, "Yeah, I've read the book 'The Match,' but I lived the book 'The Match' through Ken Venturi, Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan." I heard all those stories before they were ever in that book. Four great men, two great amateurs, two great professionals out in California. It's great.
Now it's my privilege -- and this is one of the great things, last year I got to experience this for the first time, there are these young men and young women over there at the J. Erik Jonsson Community School choir.
(Choir sung.)
LANCE BARROW: You know, this is the opening ceremonies of EDS Byron Nelson Championship. I think it's kind of a revival today from everything you've seen from the young men and women at the school, Ken Venture, Boone, Scott, D.A., Ron, everything involved with the Salesmanship Club. I feel better. I felt pretty good when I got here. I feel a lot better now (laughter).
I cannot wait for us at the Golf Channel and us at CBS Sports to show this great golf course that D.A. has redone along with a couple other of the PGA TOUR professionals. I look forward to Scott -- Scott, good luck to you. I know this is home, and I know how much it means to you. Glad to have you defend. Actually that's a personal note, but don't tell anybody. Jimmy, if you write about it at the Star-Telegram, I'll say I didn't say it.
Ron, once again, thank you guys at the EDS and for your support, not only here but throughout this community, and the Salesmanship Club, thank you all for everything that y'all do. Peggy Nelson, we look forward to seeing you there at 18 when the champion walks up the 18th fairway and drops that final putt. Mr. Pickens, thank you for being here and thank you for being involved in the course. Kathleen and Ken Venturi, I always feel better being in your Company.
I guess my job is to say officially the 2008 EDS Byron Nelson Championship is now open. Thank you all for coming.

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