Virgil A. Parker Special Recognition Award

OLSON RECEIVES NGA'S SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD

Lincoln, NE - Tom Olson of Omaha was awarded the NGA's Virgil A. Parker Special Recognition Award at the organization's 2008 annual awards banquet. The award is given to an individual in recognition of their contributions to the game of golf in the state of Nebraska.

Tom served the NGA as a member of its board of directors for nearly 30 years until retiring to the Past President's committee in 2007. He is a member of the Omaha Country Club and a four-time state champion who has been selected 21 times to the Nebraska Cup amateur team.

Born in Racine, Wis., Olson attended Notre Dame and is a 1972 graduate of Creighton University School of Law. His first state title was the 1976 match-play championship at Hillcrest Country Club in Lincoln. He followed up four years later with the 1980 match-play title at Highland Country Club (now Ironwood) in Omaha.

In 1997, at age 51, he became the oldest winner of the Nebraska Amateur championship when he played four rounds at Fremont Golf Club in 1-under 283. He closed out the field with a final-round par 71. Tom remains a perennial challenger in state tournaments winning the Nebraska Senior Amateur in 2003.

In USGA competition, he played in four U.S. Mid-Amateurs, two USGA Senior Amateurs and the 1997 State Team Championship. At Omaha Country Club, he was men's club champion 10 times in a 22-year period between 1971 and 1992 and has 13 titles overall.

Tom is a member of the USGA's Senior Amateur Championship committee where he annually serves the organization as a rules official at its' national championship and was elected to the Nebraska Golf Hall of Fame in 2003.