Golfing News & Blog Articles

Adding to the already stellar lineup, National Golf Links follows its successful hosting of the 2013 Walker Cup with the 2030 Curtis Cup matches. Fantastic news for the women’s game.

For Immediate Release:

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (May 25, 2022) – National Golf Links of America, in Southampton, N.Y., has been named the host site of the 46th Curtis Cup Match, to be held June 7-9, 2030. This will be the third USGA championship conducted at National Golf Links, which has previously hosted the 1922 and 2013 Walker Cup Matches.

“We are thrilled to return to National Golf Links, one of America’s finest golf courses and a true cathedral of the game,” said Mark Hill, USGA managing director, Championships. “The club has been such an integral part of Walker Cup history, so for its leadership to offer to host a Curtis Cup speaks volumes about their commitment to the amateur and women’s game. We cannot wait to work with their leadership in the effort to stage another memorable Match.”

National Golf Links of America, which opened in 1909, was designed by renowned golf course architect Charles Blair Macdonald, who guided the course’s development over its first 30 years. Macdonald’s tenure included the inaugural Walker Cup Match in 1922. Led by playing captain William C. Fownes Jr. and with a side that included Bob Jones, Charles “Chick” Evans and Francis Ouimet, the United States won the first Match, 8-4. National Golf Links of America was the home club of George Herbert Walker, USGA president in 1920, when the event was conceived, and the man who donated the trophy. The Walker Cup Match returned to National Golf Links in 2013, when the USA Team defeated GB&I 17-9.

Tiger Woods gave his most detailed set of comments to date on the PGA Tour v. LIV Golf and Phil Mickelson.

I have little to add other than the question and context.

On Mickelson not being at Southern Hills to defend his PGA Championship victory:

It's always disappointing when the defending champion not here. Phil has said some things that I think a lot of us who are committed to the Tour and committed to the legacy of the TOUR have pushed back against, and he's taken some personal time, and we all understand that. But I think that some of his views on how the Tour could be run, should be run, been a lot of disagreement there. But as we all know, as a professional, we miss him being out here. I mean, he's a big draw for the game of golf. He's just taking his time and we all wish him the best when he comes back. Obviously we're going to have difference of opinions, how he sees the Tour, and we'll go from there.

On Phil’s position:

Actually Jack, it was just business.

In his debut piece for The Fire Pit Collective, Michael Bamberger reviews the PGA of America decision to abandon Trump Bedminster for Southern Hills following the January 6th insurrection. The piece also weaves in Phil Mickelson’s absence this week and Jack Nicklaus’ claim he was offered $100 million by Saudi Arabia to handle the role currently occupied by Greg Norman attempting to overthrow the PGA Tour.

Besides getting PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh’s side of how the change occurred—and the lucrative and safe landing spot provided by Tulsa and Southern Hills—Bamberger interviewed Nicklaus about the move.

“I like Seth Waugh,” Nicklaus said. “Seth didn’t need this job. He took the job because he thought he could give the PGA of America some good guidance. And I think he’s doing that. But this move is cancel culture. Donald Trump may be a lot of things, but he loves golf and he loves this country. He’s a student of the game and a formidable figure in the game. What he does in the future in golf will depend on what the cancel culture will allow him to do.”

Just so you have it, here’s the first sentence from the Wikipedia entry for cancel culture: “Cancel culture or call-out culture is a contemporary phrase used to refer to a form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles — whether it be online, on social media or in person.”