H. R. 4902
One Hundred Ninth Congress
of the
United States of America 
AT THE SECOND SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and six 
An Act 
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Byron Nelson Congressional 
Gold Medal Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
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) Champion-
ships (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
H. R. 4902—2
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 Associa-
tion’s Bob Jones Award for distinguished sportsmanship in 
golf in 1974. 
(15) In 1974, the Golf Writers Association of America pre-
sented Byron Nelson with the Richardson Award for consist-
ently outstanding contributions to golf. 
(16) Since 1983, the Byron and Louise Nelson Golf Endow-
ment 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 Champion-
ship 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 contribu-
tions to the game of golf. 
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the House 
of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate 
shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on 
behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design to 
Byron Nelson in recognition of his significant contributions to the 
game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a commentator.
H. R. 4902—3
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the presentation 
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter 
in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall strike a gold medal 
with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined 
by the Secretary. 
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the 
gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such regulations 
as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the 
cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, 
and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal. 
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS. 
(a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursuant to this 
Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, 
United States Code. 
(b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 5134 of title 
31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall 
be considered to be numismatic items. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS.—There is authorized 
to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise 
Fund, such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs 
of the medals struck pursuant to this Act. 
(b) PROCEEDS OF SALE.—Amounts received from the sale of 
duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be depos-
ited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.