Jim Murray award to the best friend the golf writers ever had.

Oh My Goodness!  I guess I can be free to say what ever I say. 
When I think about you guys who have been around for 50 years.  Boy, that’s a long time.   It’s been a great time and I’ve seen so many of you over the years - I’m very flattered  and  I won’t take up all of  your time tonight.

ABOUT THE GAME OF GOLF
I’m going to tell you something.  Golf is the most fantastic game ever invented. And whoever invented it - well I’m not going to get into that, because you probably know about it better than I do. It is so character building and it tells you so much about people.

ABOUT GOLF WRITERS
You people have probably been my best friends over the years.  I look at you and tell you what I think. I’m 73 years old and I’m not going to change and you’ve accepted that.  It’s been fantastic.

BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU’RE  DOING
If you believe what you’re doing and you’re honest with the guy you’re looking at
it’s OK to go ahead and do it. And do it the way you think. You should tell the man that you are going to do it that way and it will work because you are right. And if you think you are right you will be. And you guys have been honest with me.  For the reason that I talk about, I’ve never bull-----  you.  I tell you what I think and If I don’t think it’s right I’m not going to say it.

ABOUT AUGUSTA
I know you are waiting for me to say something about Augusta. 
You know I love women (laughter, applause) and I ain’t going to change and I love Augusta and I ain’t going to change.   I’m going to stand on my ground and say that I’m going to go there, this week, and just hope in the American tradition.

THE WAR
You know we got a war going on and our guys are over there getting killed and they are fighting there to protect what is so great in this country – freedom, freedom to do what we like to do. Think about it - whether it’s Augusta, whether it’s golf, whether it’s what you want to say when you write your column tomorrow. It’s America. Think about a sixteen year old that took a job as a ditch digger on a golf course and ended up here giving this speech. Think about the competition and think about the charities that have been rewarded from these various endeavors. Let’s put it all together in the proper perspective and say we are so lucky to be where we are and doing what we’re doing and how we wish the people overseas can enjoy what we are enjoying every night.  Also say how thankful we are that we have a country that we can protect those things and help protect the rest of the world

GOLF GAME HAS BEEN GOOD
The golf game has been so fantastic to me and I can thank all of you in this room and your predecessors for what you have given me and I mean that sincerely.  You represent this country, writing about golf, baseball, football - any sport   What you write is what the people read and believe.  Thank God that every one of you and every one of those people who read your column have an opinion and have a right to that opinion.  Let’s not forget that.  I mean that sincerely

JIM MURRAY
Jim Murray was a very good friend of mine. I remember some of the things that he wrote and some of the things that he said about people and it kind of relates to what I‘m saying to you tonight.

THANK YOU GOLF WRITERS
Thank you golf writers for being so kind to me for the last 50 years. I was tempted tonight to really lay it on, but I’m going to back off, and just say thank you very much.