The Byron Nelson Clubhouse officially opened its doors to fans, families and players Feb. 22 during sing song weekend.
“As a man who glorified God ands served others along his journey, I can’t think of a better person for us to name this facility after,” said Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university.
Byron Nelson was an American professional golfer between 1935 and 1946 and has been considered one of the greatest golfers. Nelson won five majors and 52 PGA Tour tournament wins, which ranks sixth most all-time.
ACU head coach Tom Shaw believes the new facility helps others than just the team.
“I just didn’t think it would happen this fast,” Shaw said. “It’s a true blessing to make something like this happen. It’s going to benefit student athletes and the city of Abilene. Credits to the university for how it turned out.”
While Nelson never attended ACU, he became a supporter of the university. He served as a member of ACU’s Board of Trustees from 1965-74.
Looking ahead Shaw hopes that a new and advanced facility will help attract high school athletes from afar.
“Not only does it help our current team, but it helps us recruit better student athletes,” Shaw said. “This is the best facility in the conference and one of the best facilities in the country. As far as on-campus facilities, it’s top-20 in the nation.”
The ACU golf team continues their season Monday and Tuesday with the Colin Montgomerie Invitational in Houston.
