51st Pacific Coast Amateur Championship Heads To Chambers Bay
Chambers Bay, The Robert Trent Jones Jr. Layout, Will Host A Sensational Amateur Field Of 84-Players Competing To Raise The Dr. Ed Updegraff Trophy On The U.S. Open Tested Venue - Image Courtesy PNGA
For Immediate Release: Monday July 17 2017
PACIFIC COAST GOLF ASSOCIATION (University Place, Wash )- The 51st Pacific Coast Amateur Championship, hosted by the Washington State and Pacific Northwest golf associations, will take place at Chambers Bay from July 18-21, 2017.
Opened in 2007, Chambers Bay has played host to a number of high-profile amateur and professional events in its short history, including the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship and most recently, the 2015 U.S. Open Championship.
This is the first time Chambers Bay has hosted the Pacific Coast Amateur and the second year-in-a-row the prestigious event will be held in the state of Washington, having been contested last year at the Seattle Golf Club.
"Chambers Bay is a world-class championship site," stated Troy Andrew, Executive Director of the Pacific Coast Golf Association, the organizing body for the event. "We couldn't be more excited to be in University Place this year. Chambers Bay's notoriety amongst the golfing community in general and the elite amateur circuit is unmatched. Judging by the strength of our field this year, it would be safe to say the players are just as excited to play out here as the course is to host them."
Leading the charge of top-ranked world amateurs is defending champion Will Zalatoris of Plano, Texas. Zalatoris, coming off a strong showing last week at the Trans-Miss, looks to repeat as champion and add to a banner year that has included being named the ACC Player of the Year while at Wake Forest.
Hoping to add another title to his trophy case will be Braden Thornberry of Olive Branch, Mississippi. Ranked number two according to Scratch Player World Ranking, Thornberry is riding immense momentum this summer, having won the NCAA individual title as a member of the Ole Miss men's golf team earlier this year.
A pair of NCAA team match play champions have trekked to the Pacific Northwest to test their hand at Chambers Bay. Brad Dalke of Norman, Oklahoma and Grant Hirschman of Collierville, Tennessee were both crowned national champions as members of the Oklahoma Sooners and will be making their Pacific Coast Amateur debuts.
A number of competitors in the field have also played on the professional stage as amateurs, including at the Masters and the US Open. Stewart Hagestad of Newport Beach, California took low amateur at Augusta earlier this April and recent U.S. Open media favourite, Cameron Champ of Sacramento, California will be making his second appearance at the Pacific Coast Amateur.
Building off the international momentum from last year at Seattle Golf Club, the field this year has again attracted a strong contingent of players from all corners of the globe. Strong international presence will be achieved with representation from eight different countries outside of North America, including Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, China, Japan, Mexico, Chile and the Republic of South Korea.
Many players with international backgrounds sit within the top-100 in the world rankings. Eight Washington residents will be competing in the field, including Andrew Whalen and Aaron Whalen, both of Ephrata, Frank Garber of Kirkland, Eric Ansett of Spokane, and Richland's Drew McCullough.
All players will be vying for the individual Ed Updegraff Trophy, named after the long-time volunteer and standout amateur golfer who played on three Walker Cup teams (1963, 1965, 1969), won the inaugural Pacific Coast Amateur title at Seattle Golf Club in 1967 and was the 1999 Bob Jones Award recipient from the USGA.
Taking place concurrently with the first and second rounds will be the battle for the Morse Cup, a 36-hole stroke play team competition using predetermined rosters representing the 15 member associations of the Pacific Coast Golf Association. The defending champions of the Morse Cup are the contingent from the Southern California Golf Association.
Play for the 72-hole stroke play championship will begin tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. with practice rounds and a players' banquet being held today. Play will conclude with the individual champion being crowned on Friday, July 21.
Held on an annual basis since 1967, with roots dating back to 1901, the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship boasts a rich history of showcasing some of the most talented golfers in the United States and Canada. Past champions of the Pacific Coast Amateur who have gone on to successful professional careers include PGA Tour winners Billy Mayfair (1987, 1988), Jason Gore (1997) and Ben Crane (1998) as well as Web.com Tour winners Michael Putnam (2004), Andrew Putnam (2010) and Aaron Wise (2015).
For a list of the players in the Championship, please visit www.pacificcoastamateur.com. Spectators and media are welcome to attend with entrance being free of charge.
ABOUT THE PACIFIC COAST AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP - The Pacific Coast Amateur Championship is one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur golf championships in North America. The first tournament was held on the links of San Francisco Golf Club at The Presidio in 1901. After being played until 1911, The Pacific Coast Amateur then ceased to exist, only to be reconstituted at Seattle Golf Club in 1967. Today, 15 member Pacific Rim golf associations comprise the Pacific Coast Golf Association.
ABOUT CHAMBERS BAY - Chambers Bay, is owned by Pierce County and managed by KemperSports since 2007. Chambers Bay was the host site of the 2010 U.S. Amateur and 2015 U.S. Open Championships. It offers panoramic views of Puget Sound, neighbouring islands and the Olympic Mountains. Designed by the world-renowned architecture firm Robert Trent Jones II, LLC, the 18-hole layout is highlighted by dramatic elevation changes, cliffs, windswept dunes and native grasses.
More information is available at www.chambersbaygolf.com or by calling (253) 460-4653.