Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern, Oregon to Host Big Ten/Pac-10 Challenge
4/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
April 19, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern University, The University of Oregon and KemperSports have joined forces to create the Big Ten/Pac-10 Challenge, an annual tournament to be played in October and designed to be unique in the world of collegiate golf. The inaugural event will take place October 24-26, 2004, in Bandon, Ore.
The event will be hosted at Pacific Dunes and Bandon Dunes in Bandon, Oregon, the second and third ranked modern courses in America by Golfweek. Modern courses are defined as being built after 1960. Golf Magazine also rated Pacific Dunes (No. 2) and Bandon Dunes (No. 9) among the "Top 100 You Can Play."
"The impetus behind this event is strictly what an amazing golf facility Bandon Dunes Golf Resort is," said Northwestern head coach Pat Goss. "The courses are the tournament. This will be the best and most special place college golf is played."
Currently the highest ranked modern course to host a collegiate event is No. 28, while the highest ranked classic course is No. 48. The Glen Club, in Glenview, Ill., ranked No. 61 on Golf Magazine's afore mentioned list, will host the event in 2005, after which the tourney will go into a three-year rotation among the trio of courses. KemperSports Management of Northbrook, Ill., owns The Glen Club and manages Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
"Northwestern is fortunate to have a good relationship with KemperSports," Goss said. "Because they own the Glen Club, we were excited to be able to showcase the event in Chicago, too."
The Big Ten/Pac-10 Challenge will pit six teams from each conference against each other. The low four finishers from each conference's previous championship will be exempt along with one at-large team chosen by KemperSports. Northwestern and Oregon will be exempt into the tournament as co-hosts.
"This has the potential to develop into the most exciting and anticipated college golf tournament in the country," Oregon head coach Steve Nosler said. "The historical rivalry of the Big Ten and Pac-10 Conferences through the Rose Bowl adds prestige to the event as well."
A home trophy listing each year's individual, team and conference champion will be housed at Bandon Dunes.
"We want this to be the most unique and best event in collegiate golf," Nosler said. "The type of tournament college players look forward to playing."
