UW and Sahalee Golf Club to Host Sahalee Players Championship
Sahalee Country Club and the University of Washington Men's Golf Program are proud to announce the creation of a new Men's Collegiate event to be held at Sahalee in September 2023. The tournament – called the Sahalee Players Championship - will replace the club-managed, independent elite amateur tournament of the same name that has been held since 1992.
The tournament will be played over two days in early September annually, and will include 12 teams to be comprised of the best Collegiate golf programs in the USA. As part of this transition, the independent Sahalee Players Championship will not be played in 2021 or 2022 in order for Sahalee and the UW Men's Golf program to focus on preparation for 2023.
"We at Sahalee are extremely excited to begin a new chapter of the Sahalee Players Championship, and to begin a fantastic partnership with the UW" says Kevin White, Tournament Chairman of the Sahalee Players Championship. "Sahalee's history, mission and vision statements are all about bringing the top level of Championship golf on a regular basis to Sahalee – our course was built for it. By transitioning to a Collegiate Event, and riding the wave of momentum and growth of the Men's College game, we feel that we will attract and see the best possible amateur competition."
"To Be able to host a tournament at Sahalee is a great honor for our program," said Washington head coach Alan Murray. "Sahalee's Championship pedigree will attract the best teams in the country and this competition will be a key component of the continued growth of our program. We expect the field to be one of the strongest in collegiate golf and we're excited about getting the best teams in the country to the Pacific Northwest."
The field for 2023 is expected to include: Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Texas, Pepperdine, Stanford, USC, Illinois, Florida, Wake Forest, Duke, and host University of Washington.
"To have the membership at a historic venue like Sahalee welcome us to enjoy their golf course makes this a no-brainer for us. It took about 2 seconds to say "Yes" when we were offered the opportunity. We are excited to compete against an elite field at what I consider the premiere course in the Pacific Northwest. The Sahalee Players Championship is an event everyone will want to have on their schedule," comments Alan Bratton, Head Coach of Oklahoma State Men's Golf.
"Sahalee is a perfect place to host an elite college event. It's a great test that showcases the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and their membership knows hosting big events. The Sun Devils are really excited to compete and see if we can find a few of those narrow fairways," says Matt Thurmond, Head Coach of Arizona State Men's Golf.
Sahalee Country Club
Sahalee is the Pacific Northwest's leading host of Championship golf. Consistently ranked in Golf Digest's top 100 golf courses in America, Sahalee has hosted the 1998 PGA Championship (won by Vijay Singh), 2002 World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational (Craig Parry), 2010 USGA Senior Open (Bernhard Langer), and the 2016 KPMG LPGA Championship (Brooke Henderson).
University of Washington Men's Golf
The University of Washington men's golf program is one of the most prestigious in the country with records to prove it. The Huskies have finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships 11 times, winning six Pac-12 titles and producing numerous All-Americans. The Huskies have a storied history with many alumni having great success on the professional circuits all across the world.