May 25 Report: Masters Tournament and PGA Championship Winner Ray Floyd

As promised I've begun the process of updating this blog from the last week when I was out of town. Each day's mail was put aside in its own pile so I'd know which returns came when.

The first day I was gone I had a grand champions delivered. Golf Hall of Famer Ray Floyd was gracious enough to sign two 5x7 photos, one of the Masters Tournament trophy and another of the PGA Championship trophy.

Floyd, who became a Hall of Famer in 1989, won the 1976 Masters and added a pair of PGA Championship to his resume in 1969 and 1982. One day I'll have to add a signed photo of the U.S. Open as he also won that event, only lacking the British Open to claim the career grand slam.



Day of the Year: 145
Number of Autographs This Year: 192

May 17 Report: Golf Hall of Famer Betsy King, Solheim Cup star Danielle Ammaccapane and PGA Tour star Dudley Hart

Always great to add a Hall of Famer to the collection, and today is that of golfer Betsy King.

King was an elite player on the LPGA Tour in the 1980s and 1990s and continued to win into the 2000s.

Her rise to Hall of Famer was a long one, going seven seasons before her first Tour win. But once that first one came, it was impossible to hold back the rush. She won 30 times in 11 years and became the first LPGA player to cross $5 million in career earnings.

In all she won 34 times on the LPGA, including six major championships.

King, who today is actively involved in mission work and charitable efforts, signed a Solheim Cup photo for the collection of every American Solheim Cup player I am putting together.

My Solheim Cup project actually gets two additions today, as Danielle Ammaccapane also returned a 5x7, custom-made Solheim Cup photo.

Ammaccapane, who has won seven times to date on the LPGA, was a member of the 1992 U.S. team.

And to round out the hat trick of golf successes today is Dudley Hart. Hart, who has twice won on the PGA Tour, added a great inscription, too. Hart was a four-time All-American at the University of Florida and was gracious enough to add "Go Gators" to the card.

Day of the Year: 137
Number of Autographs This Year: 185

May 8 Report: Two-Time Masters Winner and Hall of Famer Bernhard Langer; Solheim Cup Player Brittany Lincicome

As I typically like to do, I'll begin with the Hall of Famer.

Bernhard Langer is definitely that. Not only is he in the golf hall, he'd also be in the great guy HOF if there were such a thing.

I've had the opportunity to be around and meet Langer on several occasions and he's never disappointed his fans. Definitely a role model for today's young people.

On the golf course Langer accomplished 80 worldwide wins and was the first-ever player to be ranked No. 1 in the world when the rankings debuted in 1986. Among his most notable wins are his two Masters Tournament titles.

It is those two titles I was seeking autographs to represent, and Langer accommodated both. I'm just picturing one here, but he signed two prints of the Masters trophy and inscribed each one with the year he won.

I also received another signature for my Solheim Cup collection today. This is the first one from a current player, that of Brittany Lincicome.

Lincicome has won three LPGA events in her short career to date, including a major championship in 2009 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

She has competed for the U.S on the 2007 and 2009 Solheim Cup squads. The U.S. won both competitions.

Day of the Year: 128
Number of Autographs This Year: 177

May 3 Report: Former Masters Tournament Winner Jack Burke

A number of days have passed since I added a signed golf ball to my collection. So take that joy and add to it the fact that a Hall of Famer was the one signing it!

Needless to say I'm pretty pumped about my ability to add Jack Burke Jr.'s autograph to my collections of Masters champs. Burke, at 87, is the oldest living Masters Tournament winner, claiming his Green Jacket in 1956. He signed a Masters Tournament logo golf ball.

Burke, a former Marine, won 16 PGA events and played on six Ryder Cup teams. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Day of the Year: 123
Number of Autographs This Year: 172

April 16 Report: British Open Champ Stewart Cink, Hall of Famer Beth Daniel and Solheim Cup Player Brandie Burton

Three more golf 5x7s to report today.

First up is 2009 British Open winner Stewart Cink, who outlasted the ageless Tom Watson to capture his first major championship at Turnberry.

Cink is the first success on a Claret Jug to inscribe his year if victory, which can be seen here.

Cink has won six times on the PGA Tour.

World Golf Hall of Fame member and Solheim Cup champ Beth Daniel signed one of my custom Solheim Cup photos.

Daniel won 33 times on the LPGA Tour, including a major championship. Daniel has played on a record eight Solheim Cup teams (tied with Meg Mallon and Juli Inkster).

Lastly is Brandie Burton, who also was an American Solheim Cupper.

I've got enough horizontal photos signed now to fill out my first trophy collage. I'll try to post that this weekend so everyone can see how it has turned out.

I think it's going to be a neat way to fill a wall in my gameroom with signed trophy photos!

Day of the Year: 106
Number of Autographs This Year: 154

March 6 Report: Annika Sorenstam

Annika Sorenstam was signing autographs last Saturday during an appearance at The Villages.

She appeared at both the Callaway booth and the World Golf Hall of Fame booth. Sorenstam is one of the greatest female golfers of all-time and likely the best the current generation will have ever seen play in person.

Simply a must-have for my golf collection.

Day of the Year: 65
Number of Autographs This Year: 106