The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) will return to Portland for the 43rd year with its original name and a new sponsor, Tournament Golf Foundation (TGF) announced today. The Portland Classic Presented by Cambia Health Solutions will feature the world’s top professional golfers at Columbia-Edgewater Country Club in Portland, OR, from August 28-31, 2014.
Known as the Safeway Classic for the last 18 years, the 72-hole tournament features a purse of $1.3 million with international coverage broadcast on the Golf Channel. Presenting sponsor Cambia Health Solutions, a Portland-headquartered total health solutions company, helped secure the event for 2014, and is returning the Classic back to its original “Portland” title from 1972.
“Cambia’s leadership is the key to keeping the LPGA in Portland,” says Tom Maletis, President of Tournament Golf Foundation. “Our mission is to bring world-class golf to Portland so we can raise money for charity. Fortunately, Cambia’s vision of a new locally-based sponsorship model to help us meet that mission is shared by other Portland area companies ESCO Corp. and BBSI, which have also made commitments to support the tournament this year.
“Safeway was a great title sponsor for 18 years and we appreciate all that we were able to accomplish during that partnership.”
“Cambia is proud to play a leading role in keeping this iconic event in Portland for the benefit of our business and charitable communities,” said Mark Ganz, President and CEO of Cambia Health Solutions. “Hosting the world’s best women’s golfers in our backyard is tremendous exposure for the Pacific Northwest, and a fantastic way to showcase the power of health and wellness.”
Columbia-Edgewater has played host to the LPGA tournament 27 times and has been consistently rated as the player’s favorite course on tour. Columbia Edgewater first hosted the tournament in 1974 and has produced great champions including World Golf Hall of Fame members JoAnne Carner, Judy Rankin, Donna Caponi, Kathy Whitworth, Sandra Haynie, Ayako Okamoto, Nancy Lopez, Patty Sheehan, Juli Inkster and Annika Sorenstam.
The event draws one of the top fields on Tour annually. Suzann Pettersen, currently 4th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, won the 2013 tournament with a two-stroke margin over Stacy Lewis, currently 2nd in Rolex Rankings.
Proceeds from the Portland Classic benefit children’s charities in Oregon. Through 2013, the event has raised over $17 million for a variety of local organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland, Trillium Family Services, Oregon Junior Golf, Easter Seals of Oregon and Evans Scholars Foundation.
About the Tournament Golf Foundation
Tournament Golf Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) charitable non-profit organization, is a local Portland area group of volunteers who donate their time and provide the primary operation for the annual event. TGF is the longest running organization owning an LPGA tournament and the Portland event is the oldest non-major on the LPGA tour.
