At the 67th Hudson Cup, held Oct. 22-23 at Seattle's Broadmoor Golf Club, the Pacific Northwest Section PGA professionals defeated the Northwest's finest amateurs, 12 to 8 in the annual Ryder Cup-style competition. The senior PGA professionals also defeated the senior amateurs 13 to 7 in the 24th Senior Hudson Cup, held concurrently at Broadmoor.
The illustrious event saw 10 of the best amateur players from Washington and Oregon compete against the top 10 Pacific Northwest Section PGA professionals, while the 24th Senior Hudson Cup matched up the top 10 Pacific Northwest Section PGA senior members against the top 10 senior amateurs from Washington and Oregon.
The Oregon Golf Association (OGA) and Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) work together to select a total of 10 amateurs and 10 senior amateurs to compete against the professionals. Of the 10 players in each category, five represented the OGA and five represented the WSGA. Amateur team members are selected based on season-long performance points earned through each respective Association.
Sean Packer, an amateur selected by the WSGA and was playing in his sixth Hudson Cup, summed up what it means for him to play in this event. "It's so hard to make the team that it always feels like such a special event," he said. "All the formal aspects of it. The banquet, the speeches, and the golf courses where it's held are always the region's best. It all adds to the prestige of the event."
Packer expanded on this year's event. "The course played long, and the flags were in difficult locations, and the course is very straightforward. The amateurs seem to do better on shorter and funkier courses. When the course is straightforward, the pros seem to do well."
Tom Brandes, who has played on two amateur teams and 10 senior amateur teams, also spoke about his feelings on the Hudson Cup. "I think most of us here will tell you that it's on our radar from the beginning of each season," he said. "We're all trying to get points to make the team each year, because it means that much to us to be here. The camaraderie and the history of the event, it really sets it apart. I never met Robert Hudson, but the way he 'gave back' to the game, this entire event is about honoring that attitude. His legacy is something we all want to be part of."
For complete final results, click here. For a roster of the WSGA team, click here.
The Pacific Northwest Section PGA also selects their professional team members based on performance points earned throughout the season.
In 1949, two PGA Professionals from Oregon, Larry Lamberger and Al Zimmerman, thought the Pacific Northwest Section PGA should pay tribute to Robert A. Hudson, Sr., a successful businessman from Portland. Hudson is renowned in the golf world as the savior of the Ryder Cup matches after resurrecting it just two years removed from World War II. Because of Hudson's generosity, the Ryder Cup was restored in 1947 at Portland Golf Club after Hudson came forward and covered most of the expenses of conducting the competition, including the cost of transporting the British team to the United States.
The first Hudson Cup matches were held at Portland Golf Club in 1949. The Pacific Northwest Section PGA is assisted by funds contributed by the Washington State Golf Association, the Oregon Golf Association and the Pacific Northwest Golf Association.
