Current Hudson Cup Points

History of the Hudson Cup Matches

Any attempt to relate the history of the Hudson Cup matches must start with the man himself. Robert A. Hudson was a very successful Portland businessman whose firm, Hudson House, was one of the nation's leading wholesale grocers.

Hudson played golf at Portland Golf Club and was devoted to the game. During World War II, the PGA of America was trying to keep its Tour alive and was in dire need of sponsors. Hudson stepped up to the plate with the urging of Larry Lamberger, Portland Golf Club head professional, and offered to underwrite a 72-hole open tournament with a purse of $10,000. Thus the 1944 Portland Open was born, and Sam Snead won it. Hudson stayed with the program and went on to sponsor the 1945 Portland Open (in which Ben Hogan set the 72-par 72-hole scoring record of 27-under-par 261) and the 1946 PGA Championship, won by Hogan. Hudson went on to sponsor Portland Opens in 1948 and 1949 and the Western Open in 1955, all at Portland Golf Club, and he became the first chairman of the PGA Advisory Committee.

It is doubtful the Ryder Cup Matches would have resumed had Hudson not come forward to fund the British team. Food rationing was still in force in Britain when Hudson stepped up and offered his help and the use of Portland Golf Club. Hudson was the perfect host, meeting the British team in New York after they arrived on the Queen Mary and joining the players for a 3 ½ day rail journey to the Pacific Northwest. Once at Portland Golf Club, the Americans were overwhelming in their dominance on a course that suffered under extreme wet conditions, winning the Matches 11-1. Only Britain's Sam King was able to muster a point, defeating Herman Keiser, 4 and 3, in the singles. Following the Matches, Hudson sent Christmas baskets of food to all members of the British Team and others he met in 1947 and again in 1951. Even when the food rationing ended, the baskets continued to arrive. The U.S. Team featured Byron Nelson and Sam Snead, the only members of the 1937 unit, as well as Jimmy Demaret, Herman Barron, Dutch Harrison, Ben Hogan, Keiser, Lloyd Mangrum, Ed Oliver, and Lew Worsham. It was the first U.S. team selected via a points system, designed by PGA Tournament Committee Chairman George Schneiter. The British Team returned Dai Rees, Henry Cotton, and King. Following the Matches, the PGA of America's Tournament Bureau made every effort to schedule as many matches as possible throughout the nation for the British Team. Taking the cue from Hudson, the Professional Golfers' Association of Great Britain began rallying on its own to build funding for this event.

In 1949, Lamberger and Al Zimmerman, who was at Portland's old Alderwood Country Club, thought the Pacific Northwest Section should honor Hudson in some way, and they hit upon the idea of a team match pitting the top 10 club professionals against the 10 leading amateurs in the Northwest. So, late that year, the first matches were held at Portland Golf Club. The format was patterned after the Ryder Cup with 36-hole foursome matches the first day and 36-hole singles the second day. The professionals, led by Bud Ward, Stan Leonard and Chuck Congdon, posted a 12 1/2 to 2 1/2 victory.

When Mr. Hudson learned of the Matches, he immediately insisted on footing the bill, and he continued to do so through 1972. When he no longer could do so, the Section took over the financial responsibility which it has carried forward to this day. Today, the Section is assisted by funds contributed by the Washington State Golf Association, the Oregon Golf Association, and the Pacific Northwest Golf Association.

The format was changed in 1966 when the foursome matches were shortened to 18-holes and four-ball competition was added for the first afternoon. Second day singles, at 18-holes, complete the event, and a total of 20 points are available.

A major impetus was added to the matches in 1992 when a Senior Hudson Cup competition was started. It features the leading senior players among the club professionals and Northwest amateurs and has resulted in some very close outcomes, such as a 10-10 tie in 1994 at Sand Point.

Professional team captains are appointed by the President of the Section, and amateur team captains are appointed by the amateur bodies.

At the completion of the matches, awards are presented to the outstanding player on each team as decided by votes of the team members. They honor Chuck Congdon, Larry Lamberger, Bob McKendrick and Bill Eggers, four great players with outstanding Hudson Cup records.

Team members are selected on the basis of performance points earned in Sectional and national tournaments. Points are compiled by the Section, the PNGA and the OGA.

More than 350 players have earned Hudson Cup honors, some only in one year, others in many years. Dr. Kent Myers, a four-time Oregon Amateur champion, played on 18 amateur teams and five senior teams, and he was amateur captain every year from 1972 through 1988 and again in 1990. He also served as the Senior Amateur Captain in 1998. Bob McKendrick, Oswego Lake CC professional, played on 18 teams. Lamberger not only played on five teams, he served as captain 26 times from 1950 until 1980. More than 30 men have served as captains.

 

Lawrence M. "Larry" Lamberger, Sr.

August 6, 1911 - January 15, 1996

Larry Lamberger

Larry Lamberger was one of the Pacific Northwest Section's best known and most respected members. Larry served 36 years as head professional at Portland Golf Club before retiring in 1974. He was completely devoted to his members and to the PGA and served as president of both the Oregon Chapter and the PNW Section. He was a leader throughout his career. He also was a noted player and teacher. He listed two Oregon PGA championships among his victories and was runner-up to a third. Perhaps Larry's most lasting legend is the Hudson Cup matches. They were conceived and begun by Larry and the late Al Zimmerman. Larry served as Captain of the Professional Team 26 times between the years 1950 and 1980.

 

 

The Larry Lamberger Award recognizes the outstanding professional in the matches as determined by a vote of the amateur team.

Year	Award Recipient	Site
1975	Mike Davis, Waverley CC	Walla Walla CC
1976	Bill Tindall, Longview CC	Sahalee CC
1977	Bill Eggers, Charbonneau GC	Eugene CC
1978	Gary Lindeblad, Liberty Lake GC	Manito G&CC
1979	Mike Davis, Olympia C&GC	Fircrest GC
1980	Craig Griswold, Emerald Valley GC	Waverley CC
1981	George Lanning, Oakbrook G&CC	Port Ludlow GC
1982	Cooper Chitty, Emerald Valley GC	Canyon Lakes GC
1983	George Lanning, Oakbrook G&CC	Eugene CC
	Ken Still, Brookdale GC
1984	Chris Mitchell, Indian Canyon GC	Oakbrook G&CC
1985	Bill Tindall, Broadmoor GC	Indian Canyon GC
1986	Mike Davis, Progress Downs GC	The Cedars GC
1987	Chuck Milne, Vanco Driving Range	Sahalee CC
1988	Steve Bowen, Progress Downs GC	Yakima CC
	Chris Mitchell, Coeur d'Alene GC
1989	Pat Fitzsimons, Prineville G&CC	Portland GC
1990	Gary Lindeblad, Indian Canyon GC	Broadmoor GC
1991	Mike Gove, Astoria CC	Bear Creek CC
1992	Rick Acton, Sahalee CC	The Oregon GC
1993	Scott Williams, Redwood Golf Center	Bellingham G&CC
1994	Rick Acton, Sahalee CC	Sand Point G&CC
1995	John McComish, Oak Knoll GC	Langdon Farms GC
1996	Scott Krieger, Broadmoor GC	Waverley CC
1997	Mike Gove, Astoria CC	Canterwood G&CC
1998	John Kawasoe, Santiam GC	Portland GC
1999	Doug Doxsie, Seattle GC	Fircrest GC
2000	Chuck Milne, Vanco Driving Range	Bandon Dunes
2001	Jeff Coston, Semiahmoo G&CC	Seattle G C
2002	Todd Erwin, Performance Golf Center	Royal Oaks CC
2003	Tom Sovay, Harbour Pointe GC	Oakbrook G&CC
2004	Bob Rannow, Sandpines Golf Links	Riverside G&CC
2005	Jeff Coston, Semiahmoo G&CC	Sahalee CC
2006	Mike Gove, Inglewood CC	Waverley CC

 

Hudson Cup Matches
Cumulative Results

 

Matches	Year	Host Site	Victor	Points		Points	(Pro-Am-Tie)
1st	1949	Portland GC	Professionals	12 1/2	Amateurs	2 1/2	1 - 0 - 0
2nd	1950	Broadmoor GC	Amateurs	9	Professionals	6	1 - 1 - 0
3rd	1951	Shaughnessy Heights GC	Professionals	9 1/2	Amateurs	5 1/2	2 - 1 - 0
4th	1952	Pendleton CC	Professionals	9	Amateurs	6	3 - 1 - 0
5th	1953	Spokane CC	Professionals	8 1/2	Amateurs	6 1/2	4 - 1 - 0
6th	1954	Eugene CC	Professionals	10	Amateurs	5	5 - 1 - 0
7th	1955	Rainier G&CC	Amateurs	9 1/2	Professionals	5 1/2	5 - 2 - 0
8th	1956	Portland GC	Professionals	8	Amateurs	7	6 - 2 - 0
9th	1957	Rogue Valley CC	Professionals	7 1/2	Amateurs	7 1/2	6 - 2 - 1
10th	1958	Tacoma C&GC	Professionals	12 1/2	Amateurs	2 1/2	7 - 2 - 1
11th	1959	Walla Walla CC	Professionals	11	Amateurs	4	8 - 2 - 1
12th	1960	Tualatin CC	Professionals	10	Amateurs	5	9 - 2 - 1
13th	1961	Glendale GC	Professionals	7 1/2	Amateurs	7 1/2	9 - 2 - 2
14th	1962	Spokane CC	Professionals	9 1/2	Amateurs	5 1/2	10 - 2 - 2
15th	1963	Astoria G&CC	Professionals	10	Amateurs	5	11 - 2 - 2
16th	1964	Seattle GC	Professionals	11 1/2	Amateurs	3 1/2	12 - 2 - 2
17th	1965	Longview CC	Professionals	9 1/2	Amateurs	5 1/2	13 - 2 - 2
18th	1966	Yakima CC	Professionals	14 1/2	Amateurs	5 1/2	14 - 2 - 2
19th	1967	Bellingham G&CC	Professionals	15	Amateurs	5	15 - 2 - 2
20th	1968	Portland GC	Professionals	13