MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2000 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Michel, Gordon, Smith, Farris, Frazier, Hamilton, Burton, Dearing
Senate Concurrent Resolution 582
(As Adopted by Senate)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING WORLD FAMOUS PGA GOLFER FROM MERIDIAN, EDDIE "THE LITTLE PRO" MERRINS, UPON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE MISSISSIPPI SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2000.
WHEREAS, the Jackson Touchdown Club and Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame have unveiled the historic Class of 2000 of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, with induction ceremonies to be held on Friday, March 10, 2000, in Jackson; and
WHEREAS, the MSHOF Class of 2000 features world famous PGA golfer from Meridian, who is the most accomplished golf instructor in the world, Eddie "The Little Pro" Merrins, whose golf achievements are a matter of record:
JUNIOR RECORD:
Jaycee National Junior Champion 1950
Mississippi State Junior Champion 1948, 1949
Mississippi State High School
Champion, Meridian High 1948, 1949, 1950
Medalist in Western Junior 1951
Qualified USGA Junior 1949-1950
Qualified Jaycee National Junior 1948, 1949, 1950
1951
COLLEGE RECORD AT LSU:
Southern Intercollegiate Champion 1953
SEC Individual Champion 1953, 1954
Third Place, Southern
Intercollegiate Tournament 1954
Second in NCAA Championships 1952
Third in NCAA Championships 1954
Led LSU to the SEC team titles 1953, 1954
AMATEUR RECORD:
Mississippi State Amateur Champion 1950, 1953, 1955
Western Amateur Champion 1955
Gulf Coast Open Champion 1954
New Orleans Invitational Champion 1954
Colonial Invitational Champion,
Memphis, TN 1955
Second Place in Southern Amateur 1951
Qualified USGA Amateur 1952, 1953, 1954
1955
PROFESSIONAL RECORD:
April 25, 1957 at Lake Charles, LA
to present date
Member of PGA of America 1961 to present
Golf Professional at Bel-Air
Country Club, Los Angeles, CA 1962 to present
Yorktown Open, Yorktown, PA 1958
Metropolitan PGA Championship,
Long Island, NY 1961
Southern California PGA Medal
Play Championship 1974, 1975
Long Island Open PGA Championship 1962
Second in Southern California
PGA (match) 1964
Second in Southern California
PGA (medal) 1972
Qualified USGA Open 1957, 1961, 1965
1966, 1967, 1968
1971, 1973
Qualified PGA Championship 1962, 1963, 1967
1968, 1969, 1971
Qualified PGA Club Pro
Championship Competed 7 times
Fourth in Beaumont, TX, PGA Open 1962
Second in "Little Crosby" 1975
U.S. Open Competed 8 times
PGA Championship Competed 6 times
PGA Club Pro Championship Competed 6 times
Los Angeles Open Competed 13 times
Bing Crosby Pro-Am Competed 14 times
Southern California PGA Stroke
Play Championship Competed 2 times
Player of the Year, Southern
California 1970
Professional of the Year,
Southern California 1977
COURSE RECORDS:
62 Medinah Country Club #3,
Medinah, IL 1962
64 Corona National Golf Club,
Corona, CA 1969
62 Bel-Air Country Club,
Los Angeles, CA 1970
16 Holes in One on various courses
COACHING:
Golf Teacher of the Year,
Southern California 1987
Member of Golf Digest Teaching Panel 1974-1978
Member of Golf Magazine Teaching
Panel 1978 to present
Author of Swing the Handle, Not the
Clubhead 1973, Simon & Shuster, pub.
Author of Golf for the Young 1981
Coach of UCLA Golf Team 1975-1989
NCAA Coach of the Year 1985
Pac 10 Coach of the Year 1982, 1983, 1985
Coach of Pac 10 Conference Golf
Champions at UCLA 1982, 1983, 1985
Coach of NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins 1988
Guest Instructor of Italian Golf
Federation 1980, 1981, 1982
Guest Instructor of French Golf
Federation 1981
Guest Instructor of European
Teaching Congress 1990
Organized the Joe Novak Pro-Am at
Bel-Air CC, Los Angeles, CA 15 years
Organized the Friends of
College Golf 1978 to present
Member of People to People
Committee 1970 to present
Asst. Professional, Merion Golf
Club, Ardmore, PA 1957, 1958, 1959
Head Professional, Rockaway
Hunting Club, Cedarhurst, NY 1960, 1961
Teaching Professional, Westchester
Country Club, Rye, NY 1962
Head Professional, Bel-Air Country
Club, Los Angeles, CA 1962 to present
Golf Magazine's Top 100 Golf Pros 1990 to present
ED MERRINS' HALL OF FAME MEMBERSHIPS:
PGA Hall of Fame Inducted 1989
Southern California PGA Hall of Fame Inducted 1990
NCAA Coaches Hall of Fame Inducted 1992
UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame Inducted 1996
Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Inducted 2000; and
WHEREAS, since 1962, he has been the head professional at Bel-Air CC, where he instructs seven days a week; some of his celebrity "pupils" include the late George C. Scott, the late Bing Crosby, Jerry West, Tom Harmon, Pete Sampras, Joe Dean (A.D. at LSU), former Mississippi Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery, George Bryan of Bryan Foods in West Point, and Steve Winn of the Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino in Biloxi; and
WHEREAS, Eddie and his wife Lisa have two sons, Michael Lee Merrins and Mason H. Merrins:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate world famous PGA golfer from Meridian, Eddie "The Little Pro" Merrins, upon his induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2000, and wish him continued success in his sport and future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Eddie Merrins at induction ceremonies and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.