Far Hills, N.J. – The United States Golf Association today announced Scioto Country Club, in Columbus, Ohio, as the host site of the 2016 U.S. Senior Open Championship. This will be the fourth USGA championship held at Scioto Country Club, which will celebrate its centennial in 2016 as the first 18-hole course in central Ohio. The dates of the championship are Aug. 11-14.
“The USGA is delighted to return to Scioto Country Club, especially on the occasion of the club’s centennial,” said USGA Executive Director Mike Davis, who made the announcement from the club on Tuesday morning. “Scioto Country Club’s rich history is associated with two of the USGA’s greatest champions in Bob Jones and Jack Nicklaus. Central Ohio, especially the state capital of Columbus, will be an enthusiastic setting for conducting a successful 2016 U.S. Senior Open.”
Scioto Country Club is one of four courses in the United States to have hosted five different major championships, including the 1926 U.S. Open, one of nine USGA championships captured by Robert T. Jones Jr.; the 1931 Ryder Cup Matches; 1950 PGA Championship; 1968 U.S. Amateur, when Bruce Fleisher was a winner one month short of his 20th birthday; and the 1986 U.S. Senior Open, won by Dale Douglass in his first year of eligibility. In addition, Scioto C.C. is where Jack Nicklaus, an eight-time USGA champion, including two U.S. Senior Opens, honed his game with legendary teaching professional Jack Grout.
“Scioto Country Club has always been a very special place to me,” said Nicklaus, who won 18 major professional championships, including four U.S. Opens. “It is where my father first introduced me to the game of golf at age 10; where I met my first instructor, long-time friend and mentor Jack Grout; and where my career really was nurtured.
“Scioto is steeped in championship golf history and it is something that I was indoctrinated with from my childhood. I grew up with Bob Jones as my idol, largely in part due to the wonderful stories and memories attached to his U.S. Open victory at Scioto in 1926. It is personally gratifying to see another major championship being added to Scioto’s storied legacy, and as a past U.S. Senior Open champion, I’m thrilled the USGA is bringing such a significant championship to the passionate fans of Columbus and central Ohio.”
Scioto Country Club was designed by renowned Scottish-born architect Donald Ross and opened for play in 1916. The course was renovated by Dick Wilson in the early 1960s and recently redesigned under the guidance of architect Michael Hurdzan and Nicklaus, who is serving as honorary chairman for the 2016 U.S. Senior Open. Scioto C.C. reopened in 2008 while preserving the original Ross routing and design, and was awarded Renovation of the Year by Golf Inc. magazine. In addition to the golf course, Scioto Country Club has acclaimed facilities and programs for aquatics, tennis and platform tennis.
“Scioto Country Club is honored to build on its rich tournament tradition by hosting the 2016 United States Senior Open Championship,” said Scioto Country Club president Jeffrey M. Wilkins. “We are excited that the sixth major tournament Scioto C.C. will host will take place during the year of the club’s centennial celebration. We are looking forward to working with the USGA and providing an unparalleled experience that participants and fans will cherish and that Scioto C.C., the City of Upper Arlington and Columbus will treasure as a part of golf history in our community.”
The U.S. Senior Open Championship was first played in 1980. The championship is open to any professional and amateur golfer who is 50 years of age with a USGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 3.4. In 2012, the U.S. Senior Open Championship will be played at Indianwood Golf & Country Club, in Lake Orion, Mich., from July 12-15. The 2013 championship will be played July 11-14 at Omaha (Neb.) Country Club, the 2014 championship will be played July 10-13 at Oak Tree National Club in Edmond, Okla. and the 2015 championship is scheduled for June 25-28 at Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento, Calif. The USGA will conduct the 2016 championship in association with HNS Sports Group, a full service event management company headquartered in Dublin, Ohio.
About the USGA
The USGA conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as 10 national amateur championships, two state team championships and international matches. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The USGA’s working jurisdiction comprises the United States, its territories and Mexico.
The USGA is a global leader in the development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and funds an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” charitable giving program. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries.
About Scioto Country Club
Founded in 1916 by Dr. James Hamill, Samuel Prescott Bush, the grandfather of President George H. Bush, W.K. Lanman and Butler Sheldon, Scioto’s heritage is among the richest of all the clubs in the United States. From its inception, Scioto has been an important part of the history of Upper Arlington and the city of Columbus. Designed as the first 18-hole course in Central Ohio by renowned Scottish-born architect Donald Ross, the course is celebrated as a great achievement in golf course architecture, one that demands precise shot-making. Scioto is one of only four golf courses that has hosted five different major competitions, starting with the 1926 U.S. Open, won by golfing legend Bobby Jones; and followed by the 1931 Ryder Cup, 1950 PGA Championship, 1968 U.S. Amateur and 1986 U.S. Senior Open. Scioto is also where one of golf’s greatest players, Jack Nicklaus, learned the game under the watchful eye of legendary teaching professional Jack Grout. Scioto Country Club provided the link between the two greatest names in golf in the 20th century, that of Jones and Nicklaus. Over its nearly 100-year history, the club has grown to include outstanding recreational facilities in addition to its warm clubhouse experience. Today it stands as a pillar in the Upper Arlington community, an important gathering place for family and friends, and a treasured part of central Ohio.
About HNS Sports Group
HNS Sports Group is a Dublin, Ohio-based LLC founded in 2000. The company offers over 125-plus years of collective experience and is committed to providing professional, efficient and effective client representation in the categories of sponsorship consultation, event management, hospitality management, sales representation and tournament operation within the golf market. To learn more about HNS Sports Group, visit www.hnssports.com.