Nick Price named 2011 Ambassador of Golf

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Dave Paternite/WGC-Bridgestone

Nick Price was presented with the Ambassador of Golf Award by Tim Finchem yesterday at Firestone Country Club.

World Golf Hall of Fame Member Nick Price received the 2011 Ambassador of Golf Award Wednesday, Aug. 3 at Firestone Country Club, the venue for this week's World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. The Ambassador of Golf Award is presented annually to a person or persons who have fostered the ideals of the game on an international level and whose concern for others extends beyond the golf course.

An 18-time winner on the PGA TOUR, highlighted by three major championship victories including back-to-back grand slam titles at the 1994 British Open and PGA Championship, Price has long been one of the most respected players on both the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour and has left his mark on charitable organizations across South Florida.

"A most-deserving recipient both for his accomplishments on the golf course and in the community, we are pleased to honor Nick Price as the 2011 Ambassador of Golf," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem, on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours. "Nick has been a world-class player for more than four decades and has truly been an international ambassador for the game of golf. He has helped to grow the game and give back to those less fortunate since turning professional in 1977. Still winning on the Champions Tour and showing no signs of slowing down, Nick truly deserves to join the venerable list of past Ambassador of Golf Award recipients."

"I'm extremely honored to be the recipient of this year's Ambassador of Golf Award," Price said. When I look at the list of past recipients, I am humbled and extremely proud."

Price added that this honor was even more special because he was joining legends like Byron Nelson, who was selected the year of Price's breakthrough victory at Firestone when he triumphed over Jack Nicklaus in the 1983 World Series of Golf.

"It was pretty nerve-wracking for me because I had Jack Nicklaus, Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin, (Isao) Aoki, the powerhouses of golf right around me and they were just waiting for me to falter. On the 18th green, Jack Nicklaus had waited and he was one of my idols and he came up and shook my hand and congratulated me. That made me feel really good. Beating Jack in Ohio is not the easiest thing to do."

After turning 50 in January of 2007, Price joined the Champions Tour and waited two years before breaking through on the over-50 circuit at the 2009 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. He collected his fourth Champions Tour victory earlier this year at the Toshiba Classic, equaling the Champions Tour's 18-hole scoring record with an 11-under 60 in the opening round, his lowest-career round as a professional.

Currently second on the Champions Tour money list and fourth on the Charles Schwab Cup standings, Price heads to Blaine, Minn., for this week's 3M Championship.

Price joins an illustrious list of Ambassador of Golf Award winners. Past recipients of the award are: 1981 Chi Chi Rodriguez; 1982 Bing Crosby; 1983 Byron Nelson; 1984 Gene Sarazen; 1985 President Gerald Ford; 1986 Bob Hope; 1987 Dinah Shore; 1988 Joe Dey; 1989 Frank Chirkinian; 1990 Barbara Nicklaus; 1991 Arnold Palmer; 1992 Nancy Lopez; 1993 Robert DeVincenzo; 1994 President George H.W. Bush; 1995 Michael Bonnallack; 1995 Deane Beman; 1997 Peter Thomson; 1998 Ken Venturi; 1999 Gary Player; 2000 Ben Hogan and Sam Snead; 2001 Del de Windt; 2002 Joanne Carner; 2003 Robert Dedman, Sr. and Jack Vickers; 2004 Lee Trevino; 2005 Pete Dye; 2006 Ken Schofield; 2007 Tony Jacklin; 2008 Charlie Sifford; 2009 Hale Irwin; and 2010 Tom Watson.