Professionals Best The Amateurs Again at Annual Hudson Cup Matches

NORTH PLAINS, ORE. (Friday, October 22, 2009) –  With both the Open and Senior Divisions all square at 5 points each after yesterdays four-ball and foursome matches,  the outcome was up for grabs at the 61st edition of the Hudson Cup Matches which concluded today at Pumpkin Ridge – Witch Hollow, in North Plains, Ore.

With pounding rain facing the players in today’s singles matches, it was the professional who again came out on top besting the amateurs 11 points to 9 in one of the closest competitions in recent years.  The result was similar in the 18th edition of the Senior Hudson Cup matches as the professionals also came out on top with an 11½ to 8½ margin of victory. 

Michael Haack was given the Charles Congdon Award, which recognizes the outstanding amateur in the matches as determined by a vote of the professional team. Congdon was a professional at Tacoma Country & Golf Club froim 1935 to 1965 and was instrumental in the formation of the Pacific Northwest Section.

Rob Gibbons was presented the Larry Lamberger Award, which recognizes the outstanding professional in the matches as determined by a vote of the amateurs.  Lamberger was a head professional at Portland Golf Club from 1948 to 1974 and was one of the founders of the Hudson Cup Matches.

For the Seniors, the Bill Eggers Award was presented to Doug Potter.  The award, which recognizes the outstanding senior amateur as determined by a vote of the senior professionals, honors Eggers who played on the PGA TOur in the early 1960’s.  A member of 15 Hudson Cup Teams, Eggers was a head professional at Rose City, Gresham and Charbonneau.

Finally, Mark Gardner was bestowed the Bob McKendrick Award.  The award, which recognizes the outstanding senior professional in the matches, is named in honor of McKendrick who had served as head professional at Oswego Lake CC for 40 years and who played on 19 Hudson Cup teams.

The Hudson Cup, named in honor of Robert Hudson, is a 54-hole Ryder-cup style contest featuring some of the most notable amateur golfers competing against PGA professionals representing Oregon and Washington.   Hudson was a Portland-based businessman who owned one of the nation’s leading wholesale grocers and was a member at Portland Golf Club.  He is credited as being responsible for resurrecting the Ryder Cup Matches between the U.S. and Great Britain after World War II.

Each 10-man team consists of five amateurs and five professionals from their respective regions. Team members are selected on the basis of performance points earned in Sectional and national tournaments. Points are compiled by the Section, the WSGA and the OGA.

During World War II, when the PGA of America was trying to keep its Tour alive, Hudson stepped up to the plate and offered to underwrite a 72-hole open tournament with a purse of $10,000. That tournament, known as the Portland Open was won by Sam Snead in 1944.  In 1945, Ben Hogan won the event at set a par-72 scoring record of 27-under-par 261.  He went on to sponsor Portland Opens in 1948 and 1949 and well as the 1946 PGA Championship and the 1955 Western Open, all at Portland Golf Club. He was also honored as the first chairman of the PGA Advisory Committee.

It is doubtful the Ryder Cup Matches would have resumed had Hudson not come forward to fund the British team.   The U.S. Team featured Byron Nelson and Sam Snead, the only members of the 1937 squad, as well as Jimmy Demaret, Herman Barron, Dutch Harrison, Ben Hogan, Keiser, Lloyd Mangrum, Ed Oliver, and Lew Worsham. It was the first U.S. team selected via a points system.  Taking the cue from Hudson, the Professional Golfers’ Association of Great Britain began rallying on its own to build funding for this event.

In 1949, the Pacific Northwest Section of the PGA decided to honor Hudson by creating a team match-play contest pitting the top 10 club professionals against the 10 leading amateurs in the Northwest.

Hudson, upon learning of the event, immediately insisted on footing the bill which he continued to do through 1972. When he no longer could do so, the Section took over responsibility for the event along with financial assistance by the Washington State Golf Association, the Oregon Golf Association, and the Pacific Northwest Golf Association.

61st HUDSON CUP MATCHES
Friday Results
* Professionals denoted with (p)

Brian Thornton (p) def. Joel Dahmen - 3 & 2
Casey McCoy (p) def. Eric Fiskum - 3 & 2
Jim Dunlap def. Darren Black (p) - 2 Up 
Erik Hanson def. Tom Sovay (p) - 5 & 4
Mike Schoner (p) def. Zach Wanderscheid - 1 up
Rob Gibbons (p) def. Chris Polski - 2 & 1
Michael Haack def. Brad Martin (p) - 3 & 2
Matt Newcombe def. Ryan Malby (p) - 1 Up
Jeff Coston (p) def. Chad Sawyer - 4 & 3
Ryan Benzel(p) def. Tyler Matthews - 1 up
 
Singles Total - Professionals = 6; Amateurs = 4  
Two Day Total - Professionals = 11; Amateurs = 9

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18th SENIOR HUDSON CUP MATCHES

Pat O’Donnell def. Scott Krieger (p) - 4 & 2
Louie Runge (p) def. Randy Mahar - 2 & 1
Kent Brown def. Fred Haney (p) - 4 & 3
Mike Gove (p) def. Larry Daniels - 1up
Tom Carey (p) def. Chris Maletis - 3 & 2
Gary Lindeblad (p) vs. Keith Crimp - All Square
Doug Potter def. Jerry Johnson (p) - 1 Up
Steve Bowen (p) def. Michael Kloenne - 1 up
Mark Gardner (p) def Byron Patton - 2 & 1
Bruce Stewart (p) def Tom Brandes - 4 & 3

Singles Total - Professionals = 6½; Amateurs = 3½  
Two Day Total - Professionals = 11½; Amateurs = 8½