LPGA Tour: Portland Classic

By
Updated: August 4, 2014

The LPGA will return to Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland from August 28-31. This will be the 42nd year of the event, making the Portland Classic the oldest non-major on the LPGA tour. This year the event takes on a decidedly local flavor with a cadre of new, local sponsors providing the primary support.

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. Cambia Health Solutions, a Portland-headquartered total health solutions company, helped to 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 and BBSI, which have also made commitments to support the event this year.”

The ESCO Charity Drive is currently underway. Fans who want to attend the tournament can buy their $25 weekly tickets from 13 participating charities or on the Portland Classic website www.portllandclassic.com and designate the charity of their choice. 100% of the ticket sales price will go directly to the designated charity.

The Portland Classic Presented by Cambia Health Solutions will feature the world’s top women professional golfers. 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.

The LPGA is enjoying strong growth in recent years, increasing the number of tournaments to 32 and official prize money to over $56 million. For more information on the tournament or for volunteer opportunities, visit the tournament website at www.portlandclassic.com