East Lake Cup to Air Live on Golf Channel on Monday, Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015
Tournament Invitations Extended to Top Teams From NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf National Championships
ORLANDO, Fla., May 20, 2015 – Golf Channel, East Lake Golf Club and the East Lake Foundation announced today the creation of the East Lake Cup, a new collegiate two-day match-play championship featuring top-performing teams from the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. The East Lake Cup will take place at historic East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, and air live on Golf Channel on Monday Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015.
“We are thrilled about this partnership and the opportunities it presents to highlight the best of college golf and the work of the East Lake Foundation,” said Tom Cousins, Founder, East Lake Golf Club. “As home course of legendary golfer Bobby Jones, East Lake Golf Club provides the ideal venue for showcasing the next generation of golfers.”
“Partnering with East Lake Golf Club and the East Lake Foundation underscores our commitment to raise the profile of college golf and the East Lake Cup will provide a showcase for the nation’s top men’s and women’s golf teams as Golf Channel’s marquee college event each Fall,” said Mike McCarley, president of Golf Channel. “Viewers will get to know the teams through our coverage of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships and see first-hand how the drama and intensity of match play, combined with the student-athletes’ school spirit, makes for a captivating event. Not only will the East Lake Cup highlight top-level collegiate golf, but also it will shine a light on the important work the East Lake Foundation has undertaken in its community and the blueprint it has provided for other communities across America.”
The East Lake Cup field will consist of four of the nation’s top men’s and women’s college golf programs competing in two match-play tournaments held at the same venue as the PGA TOUR’s season-ending TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola. Invitations for the field will be extended to the semi-finalists of the team match-play tournaments at both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf National Championships. Golf Channel will air live the 2015 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, next Monday–Wednesday, May 25-27 for the women and Monday–Wednesday, June 1-3 for the men. The semi-finalists of the team match-play tournaments will be decided on Tuesday morning at each event.
The East Lake Cup also will feature the Tom Cousins Award, a new annual recognition presented to an outstanding male and female golfer who exemplifies the values of the East Lake Foundation: excels in academics, engaged in his and her community and has overcome adversity. This award is named after Tom Cousins, founder of the East Lake Foundation that transformed a community in despair into a thriving neighborhood and national model for community redevelopment through Purposes Built Communities.