2014 NCAA Women’s Championship to be at Tulsa Country Club
Tulsa Country Club will be the site of the 2014 NCAA Women’s Championship, it was announced by the NCAA and the Tulsa Sports Commission.
“TCC is going to be a great venue for the ladies,” said Ray Hoyt, senior vice president of VisitTulsa and the Tulsa Sports Commission and a TCC member. “I know the country club and the membership are really looking forward to hosting the event. It will be a great showcase for Tulsa and for downtown.”
“We’re thrilled to get the event back,” said Jason Fiscus, general manager at TCC. “We’re absolutely excited to showcase the improvements to the course. And the proximity to downtown with all the new activities there will make it a great showcase for Tulsa.”
Tulsa Country Club recently underwent a massive redesign by architect Rees Jones with the idea to restore some of the flair of original architect A.W. Tillinghast, particularly on the green complexes and bunkering. The work included all new greens using a combination of Tyee and 007 bentgrasses which has withstood two brutal summers in championship condition.
The renovation, coupled with a through reworking of the clubhouse by Oklahoma City-based designer Tom Hoch, has resulted in large membership gains that has the club nearing capacity.
TCC was the site of the NCAA Women’s Championship in 1999, won by the Duke Blue Devils. In 2001, 2002 and 2003 the club hosted a successful LPGA event (sponsored by Williams in 2001-02 and by John Q. Hammons in 2003). The event moved to Cedar Ridge CC in 2004, closer to the site of then sponsor John Q. Hammons’ hotel. Also former TCC general manager Cleve Stubblefield had switched to the same position at Cedar Ridge.
In 2008, the club hosted the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. TCC’s relationship with the USGA is strong and could yield further national events in the near future, with the ultimate goal of hosting either the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and/or the U.S. Women’s Open.
The NCAA Championship will be held 20-23, 2014. It’s a fairly ideal time for golf in northeast Oklahoma barring the threat of severe weather. The young women at the previous NCAA Championship at TCC had to wait out one tornado warning which panicked some golfers while others could scarce contain their curiosity and had to be persuaded to come inside.
The University of Tulsa will act as local NCAA host school, and assisted the Tulsa Sports Commission on the bid package which beat out 25 other contenders. TU and the Tulsa Sports Commission also hosted the NCAA Division I basketball championship second and third rounds at the BOK Center in 2010.
“We’re excited to join the Tulsa Sports Commission and Tulsa Country Club as hosts for the 2014 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship,” said Tulsa Director of Athletics Ross Parmley. “As Tulsans, we all know about the great golf courses in this community and now we have another opportunity to showcase one of those venues to the college golf world. Just like with hosting the NCAA Tennis Championships in 2004 and 2008, and the NCAA first and second rounds of basketball in 2010, I have no doubt that the Tulsa community will once again step up as spectators and volunteers to support this national championship event.”
“This is exciting to bring the biggest event in collegiate golf back to the city of Tulsa,” said Tulsa women’s golf coach Randy Keck. “Tulsa is a great golf city.”
The NCAA also announced that one of the regionals for the 2014 NCAA Championship will be held at Karsten Creek in Stillwater. The 2014 NCAA Men’s Championship will be at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan., site of numerous Big Eight and Big 12 Championships as well as major USGA events such as the U.S. Women’s Open in 2002 and the U.S. Senior Open in 2006.