San Francisco's Olympic Club To Host Another USGA Event In 2015
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – The Olympic Club in San Francisco will once again be playing host to a national golf championship, this after successfully hosting the 2012 U.S. Open.
U.S. Golf Association officials announced on Monday that the venerable San Francisco venue will be hosting the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball championship in 2015.
San Francisco's Olympic Club To Host Another USGA Event In 2015
John Bodenhamer with the USGA said the format, also known by most weekend golfers as "best ball," is something familiar with most amateurs and that the Olympic Club has always proved to be a true test of golf.
"We looked very closely at possible sites around the country and we were just really trying to create that wow factor, coming off a very successful U.S. Open," said Bodenhamer.
Former LPGA player and Golf Channel analyst Kay Cockerill, a member at The Olympic Club, said it's the perfect venue.
"It's a much more intimate environment than the U.S. Open, which is a much grander scale," she said.
Earlier this year, USGA officials said they were getting rid of the U.S. Amateur Public Links competition in favor of the Four-Ball championship, citing a trend at the state and regional level. It's the first time since 1995 that the USGA has introduced a new championship.
The 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball is scheduled for April 30-May 6 and the USGA will use both the Lake and Ocean courses at The Olympic Club to host 36-hole stroke-play qualifying. The Lake Course will play host to the championship's match-play bracket.
This will be the 10th USGA championship hosted by The Olympic Club, including five U.S. Opens, three U.S. Amateurs and the 2004 U.S. Junior Amateur.
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon will host the inaugural women's event, also in 2015.
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