Portland Golf Club to Host 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced Portland (Ore.) Golf Club as the host site of the 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The dates of the championship are Aug. 10-16.

“Portland Golf Club holds a very special place in golf history,” said Thomas J. O’Toole Jr., USGA vice president and chairman of the Championship Committee. “The USGA is proud to bring another championship to the club and add another page to the Portland Golf Club history book.”

This will be the 33rd USGA championship conducted in the state of Oregon and the third held at Portland Golf Club. In 1982, the club hosted the first of Miller Barber’s record three U.S. Senior Open Championship victories, while Bill Ploeger won the 1999 USGA Senior Amateur Championship.

“We are honored to partner with the USGA in hosting the 2015 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship to kick off our second century of Portland Golf Club,” said Ed Ellis, co-chairman of Portland Golf Club’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship Committee. “We have a rich tradition of bringing major tournaments to Portland Golf Club, and we know our challenging and nationally renowned greens will provide the world’s best amateur women golfers with an excellent test of their golf skills. Our members and volunteers promise to provide an exceptional experience for everyone.”

Nestled along Fanno Creek, Portland Golf Club was established in 1914 by a small group of businessmen who built the initial course based on its proximity to frequent passenger rail service from downtown Portland via the Oregon Electric Railroad. Today, the course features century-old trees, rolling hills and undulating and lightning-fast greens.

Portland Golf Club hosted the 1946 PGA Championship, which was won by Ben Hogan, but it is perhaps best known for helping to revive the Ryder Cup by hosting the 1947 matches after a 10-year hiatus for World War II. The USA Team, which was captained by Hogan and included Walter Hagen, Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson, defeated the British team, 11-1.

Champions of other tournaments hosted by Portland Golf Club include Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Cary Middlecoff, Greg Norman, Gary Player, Payne Stewart, Fred Couples, Billy Casper, Kathy Whitworth, Donna Caponi and Nancy Lopez.

This will mark the sixth time the Women’s Amateur has been conducted in Oregon, the most recent championship being Amanda Blumenherst’s 2008 victory at Eugene Country Club.

The U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship was first conducted in 1895 as one of the USGA’s first three championships. It is open to female amateurs who have a USGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 5.4. The 2013 championship will be conducted Aug. 5-11 at the Country Club of Charleston in South Carolina, while the 2014 championship will be held Aug. 4-10 at Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, N.Y. In 2016, the championship will be conducted Aug. 8-14 at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa.

About the USGA: The USGA conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as 10 national amateur championships, two state team championships and international matches. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The USGA’s working jurisdiction comprises the United States, its territories and Mexico.

The USGA is a global leader in the development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and funds an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” charitable giving program. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries.