NCAA Golf Championships Slated for ECC in 2016
EUGENE – The University of Oregon has been selected to host the 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, the NCAA announced on Thursday. The tournament will be played at Eugene Country Club, with the women’s championships held May 20-25 and the men’s from May 27-June 1. This marks the first time Oregon will host both the men’s and women’s NCAA golf championships in the same year.
“We’re ecstatic to have won the bid to host the national championship at Eugene Country Club,” UO men’s golf head coach Casey Martin said. “ECC is a golf course that loves to host big championships and this is arguably one of the best, if not the best, amateur event in the world. We’re going to do everything in our power to make this an unforgettable event for the participants and the people of Eugene.”
Oregon has been a premiere destination for NCAA postseason play, with the most recent coming this past December when the Ducks hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament. The UO is also slated to host the second and third rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in Portland, Ore., at the Moda Center for the second time in four years.
Just last season, softball hosted the NCAA Regional and Super Regional at Howe Field, while the 2014 NCAA Men’s Golf West Regionals were held at Eugene Country Club. The NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships is also set to return to Historic Hayward Field – the house that Pre built – for an unprecedented seven years, running through 2021.
Eugene Country Club has hosted a multitude of tournaments in its history, including NCAA, USGA and PGA Tour events. ECC most recently hosted the 2014 NCAA Men’s West Regional and last hosted an NCAA Men’s Championship event in 1978 when Oklahoma State took home the team title while David Edwards took home the individual title for the Cowboys.
“Eugene Country Club is honored to have been selected as the venue of choice for the 2016 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships,” ECC General Manager Rich Spurlin said. “We look forward to hosting the most talented men’s and women’s collegiate golfers in the country to compete on our golf course. The Club has a long history of supporting competitive amateur golf, which includes two previous NCAA Championships in 1959 and 1978.”
In addition to the site selection, the Golf Channel will again air live tournament action from both the Men’s and Women’s Championships.
“It is an honor for our university to be chosen to host the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships,” UO women’s golf head coach Ria Scott said. “We are so grateful for the constant support from the members at ECC, as well as our administration for supporting our bid. We look forward to showcasing the best of collegiate golf to our fans locally and worldwide through Golf Channel’s coverage.”
