The 77th Hudson Cup Matches, held October 16–17 at Willamette Valley Country Club, showcased the very best of Pacific Northwest golf. In these historic matches, the top 10 PGA Professionals from the Pacific Northwest Section faced off against the top 10 amateurs in a Ryder Cup-style format. At the same time, the 34th Senior Hudson Cup Matches featured the leading senior professionals and amateurs.
After two days of intense competition, the professional team narrowly captured the 77th Hudson Cup, 10½ to 9½ points. In the 34th Senior Hudson Cup Matches, the PGA Professionals also prevailed, 11 to 9.
The individual honors celebrated outstanding sportsmanship and performance. Robbie Ziegler was awarded the prestigious Charles Congdon Award, voted on by the professional team, while the Larry Lamberger Award, chosen by the amateurs, went to Mason Koch. In the Senior Matches, Ron Hop received the Bill Eggers Award, voted by the professionals, and Birk Nelson was honored with the Bob McKendrick Award, as voted by the senior amateurs.
The Pacific Northwest Section PGA extends its gratitude to our generous sponsors: Craig Pelzer of Pelzer Golf Supplies, Brian Dickson of PUKKA, and Bryan Stahl of Antigua. Thank you to the team captains and special thanks to Willamette Valley Country Club for hosting this year’s matches!
CLICK HERE to view 77th Hudson Cup Match Results.
CLICK HERE to view 34th Senior Hudson Cup Match Results.
History of the Championship
Robert A. Hudson was a very successful Portland businessman whose firm, Hudson House, was one of the nation’s leading wholesale grocers. Hudson played golf at Portland Golf Club and was devoted to the game. During World War II, the PGA of America was trying to keep its Tour alive and was in dire need of sponsors. Hudson stepped up to the plate with the urging of Larry Lamberger, Portland Golf Club head professional, and offered to underwrite a 72-hole open tournament with a purse of $10,000. Thus the 1944 Portland Open was born, and Sam Snead won it. Hudson stayed with the program and went on to sponsor the 1945 Portland Open (in which Ben Hogan set the 72-par 72-hole scoring record of 27-under-par 261) and the 1946 PGA Championship, won by Hogan. Hudson went on to sponsor Portland Opens in 1948 and 1949 and the Western Open in 1955, all at Portland Golf Club, and he became the first chairman of the PGA Advisory Committee.
The Professionals have won 60 of the 77 matches against the amateurs, losing only 9 and tying 8 matches.
While the Professionals have been dominating the Hudson Cup Matches, the Senior professionals have also been winning the Senior Hudson Cup Matches. The Senior Professionals have won 24 of 34 Matches, tying once.
Willamette Valley Country Club
Willamette Valley Country Club proudly boasts one of the most highly respected 18-hole championship golf courses in the Pacific Northwest. Shirley Stone designed the original layout of this course, further developed by Bill Robinson and Craig Schreiner to become today’s 7,200-yard masterpiece and “hidden gem” of the Willamette Valley. The sixteenth hole has become the signature hole of Willamette Valley Country Club. It is a short but difficult dog-leg left par 4 which requires an accurate approach shot over the pond to a large yet drastically undulating three-tier green.