The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has announced that the Palm Beach County Sports Commission (PBCSC), in partnership with Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBAU), has won bids to host the 2025 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships and the 2026 NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships. Both championship events will take place on the Champion Course at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens.
“The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is thrilled to partner with Palm Beach Atlantic University in hosting these NCAA National Championships, as it showcases Palm Beach County as an elite sports destination,” said George Linley, executive director of the PBCSC. “Few communities have the privilege of hosting a collegiate national championship, and we are excited to continue hosting these events for years to come.”
The NCAA made more than 450 selections of host sites for preliminary rounds and final sites of predetermined championships in Divisions I, II, and III, with most to be held from 2022-23 through 2025-26. The NCAA received more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions, and cities vying to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA’s 90 championships. The announcement marks a continued presence of NCAA championship events in Palm Beach County. During the last round of winning bid announcements in 2017, the PBCSC was also awarded multiple events: the 2019 Division II Women's Golf Championship, the 2020 Division III Men's and Women's Golf Championship, the 2021 Division II Men's Golf Championship, and the 2022 Division I Men's Golf Regional.
The national championships will provide a considerable economic and tourism impact to Palm Beach County. Students, alumni, and golf fans from across the United States are expected to visit The Palm Beaches and enjoy the crowning of a national champion. The event will create an impressive level of visitor spending while filling hotel rooms across the county.
PBAU is partnering with the PBCSC to oversee the event. PBAU will provide essential support by offering an abundance of volunteers, which are required to manage events of this caliber. PBAU is a member of the Sunshine State Conference, a Division II affiliate of the NCAA.
“We are excited to once again partner with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission in hosting NCAA Championships,” said the director of athletics at PBAU, Courtney Lovely Evans. “We feel confident that PGA National will provide a first-class experience and look forward to showcasing the beauty of Palm Beach County.”
The site for the championships, the Champion Course at PGA National Resort & Spa, is one of the most celebrated golf venues in Florida. The course, featuring a famed stretch of finishing holes called the "Bear Trap," is home to championship events at all levels of the sport including the PGA Tour's The Honda Classic. The world-renowned course, redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 2014, features five sets of tees, ensuring its playability to golfers of all levels.
About Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local membership program that support its goals. Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Award program, the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame and the Kids Fitness Festival of the Palm Beaches. For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, go to www.palmbeachsports.com.
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