NORMAN, Okla. – In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Arnold Palmer Cup originally scheduled for July 3-5, at Lahinch Golf Club will be postponed, and the 2020 playing of this event rescheduled to take place at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge on December 21-23, 2020. The matches will return to Bay Hill Club, host of the inaugural playing of the Arnold Palmer Cup in 1997. Lahinch Golf Club will now host in 2024.
Mindful of the difficult and challenging time for everyone coping with the effects of this pandemic, it is hoped that rescheduling to December will allow the matches to be played in 2020. The guidance of leading public health authorities will dictate any further changes to the schedule, with this competition only taking place if it is safe and responsible to do so.
Renowned for having been the winter home of Arnold Palmer, Bay Hill Club & Lodge combines world-class golf in an exclusive club setting. The Par 72, 7,381 yard Championship Course sweeps across 270 acres along the shores of the Butler Chain of Lakes. Since 1979, Bay Hill has been home to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of the most popular tournaments on the PGA Tour. Arnold Palmer Cup alumni Francesco Molinari (2019) and Matt Every (2014-15) have claimed victory at Mr. Palmer’s tournament.
Amy Palmer Saunders commented, “We look forward to welcoming the top men and women collegiate golfers to Bay Hill. My father would have wanted to find a way to honor their excellence in these unprecedented times and hosting the rescheduled Arnold Palmer Cup at Bay Hill will be a fitting way to do so. While we are disappointed not to visit Lahinch this summer, we are thrilled that Lahinch has agreed to host in 2024. The Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, which carries on the legacy of my parent’s philanthropic initiatives, and conducts the Arnold Palmer Cup with the GCAA, WGCA and Foundation partners Rolex and Nike, is so appreciative of their support during these trying times, as well as The R&A and USGA. We are also especially grateful for our collaboration with Lahinch Golf Club, its members and the Lahinch community, and their collective support for the Arnold Palmer Cup. We anticipate a wonderful Palmer Cup in 2024.”
Lahinch Golf Club was founded in 1892 and is consistently ranked in the top 50 golf courses in the world. Originally laid out by Old Tom Morris, the services of Dr. Alister MacKenzie were retained in 1926 to redesign the course. MacKenzie declared “Lahinch will make the finest and most popular golf course that I, or I believe anyone else, ever constructed.”
Padraig McInerney, Tournament Director at Lahinch Golf Club stated that “the postponement of this year’s Arnold Palmer Cup is perfectly understandable amidst this current pandemic. While it is a great disappointment for Lahinch Golf Club, its members and the entire local community we remain fully committed to the event and the wonderful concept of honouring young, talented golfers and, in doing so, providing them with the opportunity to experience international competition over some of the world’s great courses. We offer our congratulations to those honoured with selection in 2020 and look forward to continuing our relationship with the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, college golf and to hosting the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup.”
For more information visit arnoldpalmercup.com.
About Arnold Palmer Cup
The Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded by Arnold Palmer and The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and began at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Fla., in 1997. The event is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men’s and women’s university/college golfers matching the United States against a team of International players. The Arnold Palmer Cup has been played at some of the world’s greatest courses including The Old Course, The Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Baltusrol, The Honors Course, and Cherry Hills. The 2018 matches at Evian Resort Golf Club became the only major tournament which features men and women playing side-by-side as partners.
Since its inception, over 100 former Arnold Palmer Cup alumni have gone on to earn cards on either the PGA Tour, European Tour or LPGA, 29 have represented Europe or the USA in the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup, and more than 60 have claimed over 240 victories on the PGA or European Tours. The United States leads the series 12-10-1.
The Arnold Palmer Cup is supported by Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation. The Arnold Palmer Cup provides a platform for perpetuating Arnold Palmer’s commitment to youth development and the growth of amateur/collegiate golf. For more information, please visit ArnoldPalmerCup.com.
About Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation
It all began in the 1960’s when Arnold Palmer’s go-for-broke style of golf bolstered a legion of fans, coined by the press as Arnie’s Army. Palmer’s charisma and unfailing sense of kindness and thoughtfulness endeared him to millions around the world. Over the past four decades, the Palmer family has contributed time and resources to support their passion for helping others and in so doing have made a profound impact on many lives. Founded in 2015, Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation has been entrusted to continue Arnold Palmer’s legacy of philanthropy by ensuring a brighter future for our youth through children’s health, character development and nature-focused wellness. For more information, or to join Arnie’s Army, please visit palmerfoundation.org or contact 407-876-3944.
Rolex and the Arnold Palmer Cup
Through an unwavering commitment to the game of golf for more than 50 years, Rolex has developed one of the broadest and longest-standing relationships between brand and sport. These strong ties date back to 1967 when Rolex partnered with legendary golfer Arnold Palmer. The charismatic American holds a special place in golf history thanks as much to his natural talent and successful playing career as to his pioneering role in the sport. Since that pivotal bond, Rolex has gone on to establish partnerships at every level of the sport, including the governing bodies responsible for advancing the sport and the finest players, from The Big Three to the New Guard who are leading the rankings at the moment. The decision to partner the Arnold Palmer Cup was thus a natural progression for the Swiss watchmaker, and a tribute to the Arnold Palmer’s inspiring legacy.
About Rolex
An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise
Rolex, a Swiss watch manufacture headquartered in Geneva, is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products. Its Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches, all certified as Superlative Chronometers for their precision, performance and reliability, are symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. Rolex has registered over 500 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, Rolex is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet..
About Nike
The exclusive footwear, apparel, headwear, and glove supplier of the Arnold Palmer Cup, Our mission is what drives us to do everything possible to expand human potential. We do that by creating groundbreaking sport innovations, by making our products more sustainably, by building a creative and diverse global team and by making a positive impact in communities where we live and work.