Pacific Coast Amateur
The Pacific Coast Amateur annually ranks as one of the top amateur events in the world.
2023 Championship Site: Chambers Bay
Date: July 23-26, 2024
What is the Pacific Coast Amateur?
The Pacific Coast Amateur Championship was first held on the links of San Francisco Golf Club at The Presidio, April 24-27, 1901. Championships were held annually through 1911, all being conducted in California except for the 1909 championship, which was held at Seattle Golf Club in Washington.
The Pacific Coast Amateur then ceased to exist, only to be reconstituted at Seattle Golf Club on August 10-12, 1967. The modern era of the PCGA occurred following a meeting of representatives of several golf associations throughout the western United States at Pebble Beach in November, 1965.
The objective of this meeting was to start a golf championship with the stature that would attract the attention of the USGA and display the ability of amateur golfers in the western United States for possible Walker Cup Team selection.
The Pacific Northwest, Northern California, Southern California, Oregon and Arizona golf associations participated in the inaugural PCA Championship at Seattle Golf Club in 1967. Today, 18 member Pacific Rim golf associations comprise the Pacific Coast Golf Association.
The Morse Cup Team competition has been a major portion of the PCA Championship since 1967. Each team consists of three players. From 1967 to 1996, the best two scores each day for the first two rounds were totaled for each team to determine the Morse Cup champion. In the event of a tie, co-champions were recognized. However, the team play ended after 36 holes. The individual competition of this event extends onto 72 holes versus the 36 hole Morse Cup Team competition.
What is the Elite Amateur Golf Series?
The Elite Amateur Golf Series aligns seven of the top competitive amateur events and provides exceptional playing opportunities for the best amateur golfers to compete at the highest level. By strengthening the competition among amateur golfers, the work of the EAGS will provide more opportunities for these elite players to enhance their own game and, in turn, strengthen the overall game of golf. When the best work together, the best will be produced. Created to challenge the best of the best in amateur golf, the Elite Amateur Golf Series brings together the top amateur championships in a collective series of competition, the Elite Amateur Cup. In addition to hosting the best players, Elite Amateur Cup events are contested at the best sites and have the longest history of successful champions. The Elite Amateur Golf Series maintains a proven track record that prepares elite players for the toughest competitive tests, making the championships the majors of amateur golf.
Website: https://www.eliteamateurgolfseries.org/
UGA Selection Process
The UGA will select three players to represent Utah at the Pacific Coast Amateur (PCA). The selection process will emphasis current UGA Champions and PPR rankings. Eligibility criteria is listed below. Each team member must agree to participate in all functions relating to the PCA. Participants who qualify as minors will be asked to complete and return waiver information to the UGA. Players may only play in two of the following three traveling teams events in a calendar year: Pac Coast, National State Team, Utah vs. Arizona Shootout.
*The PCA extends presidential invitations to top amateur players from member and non-member golf associations. If a player is accepts to play as a presidential invite for this event he will not be part of the Utah team and will compete as an individual. *If the State Amateur or Mid-Amateur champion does not fill their spot, it will be filled by selection.
The UGA will only select players with the unquestioned ability to appropriately represent the UGA with character, sportsmanship, and integrity. Primary consideration for selection will be UGA Champions and player performance rankings. The UGA Competitions Committee has the right to exclude any player should they not meet the standards of conduct found in Rule 1.2 of the Rules of Golf or should the UGA competitions committee find they are deficient in character, sportsmanship or integrity.
The competitions committee has imposed a rule that players are only allowed to be selected for two of the three major UGA traveling teams so one layer isn’t filling a spot on all UGA traveling teams and more players will have an opportunity to represent the UGA/Utah. The three events are the Pacific Coast Amateur, National State Team and UT/AZ Shootout.
Players to represent the Utah team for the Pacific Coast Amateur team will be chosen in the following order:
- 2023 Utah State Amateur Champion
- 2024 Utah Mid-Amateur Champion
- Additional Player to be Selected at the conclusion of the Utah Mid-Amateur
The 2024 Utah State Amateur Champion will earn a spot on the 2025 Pacific Coast Amateur team.