Tualatin Country Club Hosts 66th Hudson Cup and 23nd Senior Hudson Cup Matches

The 66^th Hudson Cup will pit 10 of the best Pacific Northwest Section PGA professionals against the top 10 amateur players from Washington and Oregon, while the 23^nd Senior Hudson Cup will match up the top 10 Pacific Northwest Section PGA senior members against the top 10 Pacific Northwest senior amateurs. Tualatin (Ore.) Country Club will play host to the Ryder Cup-style matches on October 23 and 24, 2014.

Working in collaboration, the Oregon Golf Association (OGA) and Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) selected a total of 10 amateurs and 10 senior amateurs to compete against the professionals. Of the 10 players in each category, five will represent the OGA and five will represent the WSGA. Amateur team members are selected based on performance points earned through each respective association. The Pacific Northwest Section PGA also selects their professional team members based on performance points earned throughout the season.

Each player will play three matches, including a foursome match, a four-ball match, and a singles match. At the completion of the matches, awards are presented to the outstanding player on each team as decided by votes of the team members. The awards honor Chuck Congdon, Larry Lamberger, Bob McKendrick, and Bill Eggers, four great players with outstanding Hudson Cup records.

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 format was patterned after the Ryder Cup, with 36-hole foursome matches the first day and 36-hole singles the second day. The professionals, led by Bud Ward, Stan Leonard and Chuck Congdon, posted a 12 ½ to 2 ½ victory. When Hudson learned of the matches, he immediately insisted on footing the bill, and continued to do so through 1972. Today, 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.

The format was changed in 1966 when the foursome matches were shortened to 18-holes and four-ball competition was added for the first afternoon. Second day singles, at 18-holes, complete the event, with a total of 20 points available. In 1992, the Senior Hudson Cup matches were added.

Professional team captains are appointed by the president of the Pacific Northwest Section PGA, and amateur team captains are appointed by the OGA and WSGA.

For more information on the history of the Hudson Cup, including past results, go to http://www.pnwpga.com/hudson_cup.htm.

Since 1922, the WSGA has been conducting the state's amateur golf championships. Today, it is one of the largest amateur golf associations in the United States. Serving over 68,000 individual members at more than 550 member golf clubs and 270 golf courses throughout Washington and Northern Idaho, the WSGA works to continually expand the game of golf to people of all backgrounds.

The WSGA is a 501c4 non-profit, amateur golf association governed by men and women volunteers. The WSGA also serves as a statewide representative of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and works closely with a number of allied associations within the golf industry for the betterment of the game.

Here is a complete playing roster of the upcoming Hudson Cup:

66^th HUDSON CUP MATCHES

PGA Professionals Amateurs

23^nd SENIOR HUDSON CUP MATCHES

Senior PGA Professionals Senior Amateurs