Top Collegiate Men and Women team up for the first time in the United States at The Alotian Club for the annual Ryder Cup-style US vs International competition
NORMAN, Okla. – The Alotian Club, one of America’s premier golf clubs, will host the 23rd playing of the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2019. The annual Ryder Cup-style competition will be played June 7-9 and will be the first to be played in the United States expanded to include men’s and women’s USA collegiate golfers against their counterparts from around the world.
“Many of the alumni of the Arnold Palmer Cup have become prominent professional golfers and have earned numerous victories around the world, including several of golf’s major championships,” said Amy Saunders, daughter of Arnold Palmer. “Arnold Palmer’s vision for growing golf globally and perpetuating golf’s positive character building attributes through the next generation of youth, is something that was very important to my father. Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation is honored to continue Arnold Palmer’s legacy of international team golf competition through this tournament. We’re grateful to The Alotian Club for hosting our event in 2019.”
Opened in 2004, The Alotian Club is ranked No. 27 on Golf Digest’s biennial ranking of “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.” The course was built by Little Rock businessman Warren Stephens and was identified by Golf Digest as the best new private course in the country in 2005.
“For generations, Arnold Palmer exemplified and embodied the spirit of golf and its guiding principles. The Alotian Club is honored to continue his legacy by hosting the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2019,” said Club Chairman Warren Stephens. “Since our inception, The Alotian Club has supported young golfers. We look forward to welcoming collegiate players from the United States and around the world to our course and our great state.”
Renowned golf architect Tom Fazio designed the course, which measures 7,480 yards from the championship tees. The course plays 6,780 yards from member tees and 5,385 yards from forward tees. The course’s signature trait is elevation change, with the most dramatic coming at the sixth hole with a 100-foot drop from the tee to green.
The Alotian Club hosted the 111th Western Amateur in 2013.
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Arnold Palmer Cup
The Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded in 1997 by Arnold Palmer and The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), with the inaugural event held at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando. The event is a Ryder Cup-style tournament, which pits the top university/college golfers from the United States against those from Europe. Co-ed since 2018, it is the only major tournament which features men and women playing side-by-side as partners.
Since its inception, over 100 former Arnold Palmer Cup alumni have gone on to earn cards on either the PGA Tour, European Tour or LPGA, 28 have represented Europe or the USA in the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup, and more than 50 have claimed over 200 victories on the PGA or European Tours. The United States leads the series 12-9-1. The Arnold Palmer Cup is supported by the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, with the tournament providing a platform for perpetuating Arnold Palmer’s commitment to youth development and to the growth of amateur/collegiate golf. For more information, please visit ArnoldPalmerCup.com.
Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation
The Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation (formerly Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation) champions the legacy of Arnold and Winnie Palmer by supporting efforts on behalf of children’s health, character development, and nature-focused wellness. Supported by a global legion of fans known as “Arnie’s Army,” the Foundation works to ensure that every child has the chance to live a #LifeWellPlayed. For more information, or to join Arnie's Army, please visit ArniesArmy.org or contact Chris Kolodinsky at 407-876-3944 or ckolodinsky@arniesarmy.org