Maricopa, Ariz. – Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Ariz. will host “The Copper Cup” this Sunday, January 17th and Monday, January 18th. The two-day, four-round match will pit the University of Arizona Wildcats versus the Arizona State University Sun Devils men’s golf teams against each other in a Ryder Cup-style competition.
The Copper Cup schedule includes:
Sunday, January 17, 2021
8 – 8:30 (four groups) – FOUR BALL MATCHES (4 points available)
12:30 – 1 (four groups) – SINGLES MATCHES (8 points available)
Monday, January 18, 2021
8 – 8:30 (four groups) – FOURSOMES (Alt Shot) MATCHES (4 points available)
12:30 – 1 (four groups) – SINGLES MATCHES (8 points available)
Spectators are invited to attend The Copper Cup free of charge and will be required to wear masks and observe proper physical distancing. In addition, masks are required at all times when in or around the clubhouse and patio area. Masks are allowed to be removed if seated and actively eating or drinking in the Arroyo Grille (50% seating inside and spaced-out patio seating). There will be no spectator carts issued as carts are reserved for players, coaches, media and other paying golfers. Spectators must stay on the cart paths only while on the golf course.
“The Copper Cup is the first college golf tournament of the spring and is a great way to celebrate the Territorial Cup rivalry and the very high level of college golf found in Arizona,” said Sun Devil Head Coach Matt Thurmond. “I’m thankful for Ak-Chin Southern Dunes and the two athletics departments that have worked together to support this idea and make it happen. Some great golf and camaraderie can be expected.”
“Our team could not be more excited for the opportunity to open up the season in Arizona playing our rivals in a very recognizable Ryder Cup-style format,” said Arizona Head Coach Jim Anderson. “While we all understand the importance of this rivalry and competition, it has been outstanding conceptualizing this idea with Coach Thurmond and the ASU staff along with members of the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes team, including General Manager Brady Wilson.”
In addition to hosting The Copper Cup, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club will also be a host site for the 2026 Men’s Golf NCAA Regionals. Ak-Chin Southern Dunes, named a “Top 100 Golf Course You Can Play” by Golf Magazine, will be one of six Regional sites in the U.S. with each site hosting 14 collegiate teams. The top five teams from each Regional will advance to the NCAA Championships to be held in 2026 at La Costa Resort and Spa in San Diego, Calif. Exact dates for the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Regionals will be announced at a later date, but the tournament is expected to take place in mid-to-late May 2026.
Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club was designed by Brian Curley and PGA TOUR veteran Fred Couples in 2002. Originally developed as a private club by private investors, the championship Australian Sandbelt-style golf course sits on 320 acres of land that was once a part of the Ak-Chin’s May 1912 reservation before it was removed by Presidential Executive Order in late 1912. Nearly 100 years later, in 2010, the Ak-Chin Community recovered its sacred land when it purchased the golf facility and opened the course to public play. The course currently boasts several coveted accolades, including being included on Golfweek’s coveted rankings of the “Top 100 Resort Courses” and “Best Courses You Can Play.”
Ak-Chin Southern Dunes has played host to numerous major tournaments and events since opening in 2002, serving as an annual U.S. Open qualifying site, host course for the PING Southwest Section PGA Section Championship and several top collegiate men’s and women’s golf tournaments. The course annually hosts top amateurs in the Tucker Amateur in September and the Saguaro Amateur held in early January. Both events are part of the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series, a multi-tournament series providing high-level amateurs a chance to compete throughout the year.
For more information on Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club, visit www.akchinsoutherndunes.com.
About The Ak-Chin Indian Community
The Ak-Chin Indian Community is nestled into the Santa Cruz Valley of Southern Arizona. The Community lies 35 miles south of Phoenix in the northwestern part of Pinal County. Ak-Chin is an O’odham word translated to mean “mouth of the wash” or “place where the wash loses itself in the sand or ground.” Ak-Chin has an enrollment of more than 1,100 tribal members and a land base of just over 22,000 acres. The Ak-Chin Indian Community has a variety of business enterprises including Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club, UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle and Santa Cruz Commerce Center. For more information, visit www.ak-chin.nsn.us
About Troon
Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club is managed by Troon Golf. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf management company providing services at 585-plus locations around the globe, including managing 630-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages more than 490-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. With properties located in 40-plus states and 30-plus countries, Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Honours Golf, OB Sports, Indigo Golf Partners, CADDIEMASTER, True Club Solutions, Cliff Drysdale Tennis and RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design. Troon-affiliated properties include Princeville Makai Golf Club on Kauai; Champion Hills in Hendersonville, North Carolina; Ocean Club in Paradise Island, Bahamas; and Vattanac Golf Resort in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.
Media Contacts:
Rob Myers
Troon
480.477.0506
rmyers@troon.com
Doug Tammaro
Arizona State University Athletics
Tammaro@asu.edu
