U.S. Ryder Cup team enjoy White House reception

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Triumphant U.S. Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger and seven of his players were officially welcomed by President George W. Bush at the White House on Monday.

The American golfers presented Bush with a personalized Ryder Cup golf bag, the red shirt and sweater vest worn by the team for the last-day singles matches and a Ryder Cup money clip.

"It was a great honor to have the president invite us, and to show how much he cared for and followed our team," Azinger said in a statement issued by the PGA of America. "This was the icing on the cake for me and the players.

"I was really proud of what the players were able to accomplish on a stage of this size, one of the biggest stages in the world when you consider there were some 600 million viewers."

Azinger was accompanied by his assistant captain Raymond Floyd and players Chad Campbell, Stewart Cink, Ben Curtis, Jim Furyk, J.B. Holmes, Hunter Mahan and Boo Weekley.

The U.S. won the Ryder Cup for the first time in nine years with a 16- to 11- victory over Europe in Louisville, Kentucky in September.

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Ed Osmond)