Baltimore Country Club to Host Elite Golf This Year | Sports Destination Management

Baltimore Country Club to Host Elite Golf This Year

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Jan 09, 2023

Baltimore Country Club (BCC) announced Oct. 10 that it will serve as host to the 2023 Howard University Women’s Invitational, the 2025 Big Ten Men’s Golf Championships and the 2029 Western Amateur championship. The announcement of these prominent amateur golf events comes on the heels of the iconic club announcing that it will be hosting the USGA’s 2026 U.S. Senior Amateur and 2031 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

“We are truly fortunate to have an exciting roster of golf tournaments coming to Baltimore Country Club over the next several years,” said Thomas Carroll, Club President for the Baltimore Country Club. “Through our partnerships with the Big Ten Conference, the Western Golf Association, and Howard University, the Club is excited to host the nation’s best student-athletes and amateur golfers on our East Course as they pave the way for a new era of championship golf at Baltimore Country Club.”

The Howard University Women’s Invitational will be played April 9-11, 2023 and will include twelve schools: Howard, Mount St. Mary’s, Long Island University, Fairleigh Dickinson, Dartmouth, St. Francis (PA), Bucknell, Lehigh, Hofstra, Delaware State, Merrimack College and Georgetown University. The Howard University golf team drew national attention in 2019 after receiving a substantial donation from NBA All-Star Steph Curry who pledged to assist with the formation of the university’s first NCAA Division I golf program. The university debuted the inaugural women’s and men’s golf teams during the 2021 season.

“We are extremely excited to host our Howard University Women’s Invitational at Baltimore Country Club—arguably one of the best golf courses in the State of Maryland,” said Samuel G. Puryear, Jr., Director of Golf at Howard University. “For many of the young ladies in the tournament, this is one of the best courses they will play in their entire collegiate career.”

The Big Ten Men’s Golf Championships will return to Baltimore Country Club in 2025. BCC last hosted the championship events in 2017 and 2018 with the University of Illinois winning the title each time. Big Ten Men’s Golf will feature teams from member schools Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers and Wisconsin.

“We are excited to return to Baltimore Country Club for the Big Ten Men’s Golf Championships in 2025,” said Big Ten Deputy Commissioner and Chief Sports Officer Diana Sabau. “The championship course, designed by renowned architect A.W. Tillinghast, provides the perfect challenge for one of the premier amateur golf championships in the country. We are grateful to Baltimore Country Club and its membership for welcoming us back to the East Coast and for their commitment to providing our student-athletes an elite experience at such a celebrated course.”

The Western Golf Association (WGA) will bring the historic Western Amateur to Baltimore Country Club in 2029, marking the 127th playing of the highly sought-after championship. The Western Amateur is regarded as the toughest test in amateur golf, and some of the game’s greatest names are etched on the George R. Thorne Trophy. The field features 156 top amateur players from across the world competing in four rounds of stroke play over three days to determine the low 16 finishers. The “Sweet Sixteen” then compete in match play to decide the champion. The Western Amateur’s Sweet Sixteen have often gone on to greatness, combining to win 27 major championships since 2000, 18 PGA TOUR Player of the Year awards since 1990, seven FedExCup titles, and seven PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year awards since 1990.

All proceeds from the Western Amateur will benefit the Evans Scholars Foundation and its mission of awarded full tuition and housing college scholarships to youth caddies. Established in 1930, the Foundation has helped more than 11,800 caddies graduate from college. There are 1,100 Evans Scholars enrolled in 22 leading universities nationwide this year, including four who caddied at Baltimore Country Club.

The WGA witnessed Baltimore’s passion for golf in 2021 when it brought the BMW Championship to nearby Caves Valley Golf Club. That event yielded massive crowds and a record contribution to the Evans Scholars Foundation.

“We’re looking forward to bringing the excitement and drama of the Western Amateur championship to historic Baltimore Country Club – and to the state of Maryland – for the first time in 2029,” said Vince Pellegrino, WGA Senior Vice President of Tournaments. “This is a tremendous stage for elite amateur golf, and we expect to provide a challenging test for the best young players in the world.”

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