Rob Gibbons, PGA played in Hudson Cup Matches in 1986-89, 1991, 1997-2003, 2005, 2008-2011, 2016 and 2017. He played in the Senior Hudson Cup Matches in 2013-2015, 2018-2024. He received the Larry Lamberger Award in 2009 and co-captained the Senior Professional team with Jeff Coston in 2010. In 2025, he is captaining the Professional team.
Hometown: Molalla, Oregon
PGA member since: 1985
How did you get into golf as a profession and who were your mentors?
I got into the golf profession for a few reasons: I had just finished playing at Oregon State on the golf team, and our family owned Arrowhead Golf Club where the Head Professional was my dad, Joe Clarizio and the GM was my mother, Jean. I had grown up working at the course, so it was a great fit for me to enter the golf profession.
Joe Clarizio was very influential in mentoring me in the golf business, as well as the many golf salespeople who helped me with ideas and strategies on buying and merchandising. Fellow golf professionals also were a big help, even though they probably weren’t aware that I would always walk around their golf shops and take ideas that I thought would be helpful in my golf shop.
What are your favorite Hudson Cup memories?
Years of great competition and getting to know the professionals and amateurs from around the Pacific Northwest.
What are you most looking forward to with captaining the 2025 Senior Professional Hudson Cup Team at Arrowhead Golf Club?
It’s an honor to be the captain at the 2025 Hudson Cup at Arrowhead Golf Club, especially since it’s where I started playing golf over sixty years ago. Arrowhead GC has really evolved from where it was in the beginning, when it was a logger’s dream to build a golf course in the early 1960’s.
Ted Westling, PGA played in the Senior Hudson Cup Matches in 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2010. In 2025, he is captaining the Senior Professional team.
Hometown: Milwaukie, Oregon
PGA member since: 1988
How did you get into golf as a profession and who were your mentors?
Before becoming a golf professional, I was working in the shipyards and at Eastmoreland when the shipyards were slow. When Jerry Minor qualified for the Hogan Tour, Clark Cumpston talked me into taking Jerry’s place at Eastmoreland in 1984.
I had many mentors over the years. Lynn McSherry and Dan Elliott helped me learn how to teach, and Bob Duden helped me learn how to play competitive golf. Gordon Tolbert taught me the business part of golf when Stone Creek opened in 2002.
What are your favorite Hudson Cup memories?
One of my best memories of the Hudson Cup was playing with Kevin Bishop against Chris Maletis and Paul Campbell. We were 2 down after 11 holes and birdied 6 of the 7 remaining holes to win 1 up.
Another was with Kent Brown in a singles match. It was raining at Aldarra, and he slipped and fell on the third hole, tearing up ligaments and tendons in his knee. I offered to call the match a draw, but he said, “No way, you are going to have to beat me.” And he won 3 and 2, playing under par on one leg.
What are you most looking forward to with captaining the 2025 Senior Professional Hudson Cup Team at Arrowhead Golf Club?
I am looking forward to seeing all the great golf that gets played, seeing old friends, and meeting new participants. Arrowhead is special to me because I played college golf at Clackamas Community College, and Arrowhead was our home course. Joe Clarizio was the owner and the golf coach. I passed my Player’s Ability Test at Arrowhead and have seen all the changes made to the golf course over the years and how great the course has become. I still play in their game on Fridays in the winter and know many of the members. It will be a great privilege to be captain of the Senior Team, especially at Arrowhead Golf Club.