(Franklin, TN) – The popular Ryder Cup style event, the Tennessee Challenge Cup, is set for its 56th installment. The Challenge Cup, which annually pits the top 16 amateur golfers in the state against the top 16 PGA professionals, is scheduled for October 30th through 31st, 2023 at Council Fire Club in Chattanooga.

Officials from both the Tennessee Golf Association, which selects the amateur team, and the Tennessee Section PGA, which chooses the professional team, are excited about this year’s battle for the John Deal Cup trophy.

“The Cup matches continually prove to be the most exciting event on our calendar,” said Clayton Hromadka, Executive Director of the Tennessee Section PGA. “The camaraderie that each of the participants experiences is tough to match in any other event.”

“While the camaraderie is certainly enjoyable, that doesn’t eliminate the intense competition that goes on once they tee off,” Hromadka continued. “I always enjoy watching the matches unfold as the players on each side give everything they have for their respective teams.”

Allison Brown, the executive director for the Tennessee Golf Association, added, “Holston Hills Country Club will be a great setting for this special event. Not only does it give our players the chance to compete on an outstanding golf course, but it is also great for hosting social functions for the event.”

The Challenge Cup dates back to 1968.  The event came to fruition thanks to the efforts of Old Hickory amateur John Deal, Cookeville amateur Bobby Greenwood, and Cookeville professional Hubie Smith, who was president of the Tennessee Section PGA at the time.

Since then, the professional team has built a 31-23 advantage in the overall series, though the amateurs have won seven of the last 10 meetings. The event went to its current format in 1975, with one round each of four-ball, foursomes and singles matches played over the two-day tournament. The Professionals won last year’s showdown at Holston Hills Country Club.

“Amateurs in Tennessee play in our championships and local invitationals throughout the year to make this team,” Brown said. “There is a lot of pride amongst our amateurs and they love competing against the wonderful PGA professionals in our state.”

Each team is comprised of 16 players, six of which are seniors. The professional team is selected using the Tennessee Section PGA’s season-ending Professional and Senior Professional Rolex Player of the Year rankings. The amateur team is chosen based on the Tennessee Golf Association’s season-ending amateur and Senior Amateur Player of the Year rankings.

Located just outside of Chattanooga, Council Fire Club is uniquely situated on the Tennessee and Georgia border with the front nine in the Volunteer State and the back nine in the Peach State. The course was built in 1992 under the watchful eye of world-renowned course architect Bob Cupp. Since then, the course has hosted the PGA Tour and NCAA Tournaments along with multiple State championships including the 2022 Tennessee State Open.

Tennessee Professionals
Captain – Lamar Mills
Vice Captain – Chris DeBusk
Josh Bevell – Profectus Golf
Bobby Cochran – Colonial Country Club
Braxton Hunter – Fairways & Greens
Allie Knight – Fairways & Greens
Adam Forgey – Heatherhurst Golf Club
Mike Vance – Jackson National Golf Club
Chase Harris – Chickasaw Country Club
Kevin Snell – TN Golf Trail at Henry Horton
Scott Moran – Cutter & Buck
Scott Masters – Old Hickory Country Club
Seniors
Jared Melson – Bear Trace at Tims Ford
Loren Personett – McCabe Golf Course
Kelvin Burgin – Bear Trace at Cumberland Mt.
Greg Wyatt – Golf Capital Learning Center
Scott Wilson – Green Meadow Country Club
Chris Woods – Johnson City Country Club

Tennessee Amateurs

Lucas Armstrong
Tanner Davis
Mark Harrell
Aaron Ingalls
Tucker Jenkins
Matt Mitchell
Craig Reasor
Jeff Reuter
Jack Smith
Whit Turnbow
Seniors
Captain – Tim Jackson
Steve Golliher
Alan Jones
Mike Poe
John Thomas
Bryan Rodgers

Tennessee  Challenge Cup Matches Past Results

1968 Amateurs – 45.5 Professionals – 44.5 Old Hickory CC
1969 Professionals – 55.5 Amateurs – 43.5 Cherokee CC
1970 Professionals – 59 Amateurs – 51 Windyke CC
1971 Professionals – 110 Amateurs – 70 Richland CC
1972 Professionals – 115 Amateurs – 58 Fox Den CC
1973 Professionals – 52 Amateurs – 48 CC of Bristol
1974 Professionals – 104 Amateurs – 76 Farmington CC
1975 Amateurs – 25 Professionals – 18 Cherokee CC
1976 Professionals – 26 Amateurs – 13 Hillwood CC
1977 Professionals – 27 Amateurs – 13 Richland CC
1978 Professionals – 23 Amateurs – 17 Belle Meade CC
1979 Professionals – 20.5 Amateurs – 19.5 Hillwood CC
1980 Professionals – 22 Amateurs – 18 Old Hickory CC
1981 Professionals – 23.5 Amateurs – 16.5 Nashville G & A
1982 Amateurs – 23.5 Professionals – 16.5 Nashville G & A
1983 Professionals – 21.5 Amateurs – 18.5 Nashville G & A
1984 Amateurs – 27.5 Professionals – 12.5 Nashville G & A
1985 Professionals – 25 Amateurs – 15 Nashville G & A
1986 Professionals – 10.5 Amateurs – 9.5 Valleybrook G & CC
1987 Amateurs – 27.5 Professionals – 12.5 Chickasaw CC
1988 Amateurs – 23.5 Professionals – 16.5 Ridgefields CC
1989 Amateurs – 21 Professionals – 19 Willow Creek GC
1990 Amateurs – 28 Professionals – 16 Link Hills CC
1991 Professionals – 29 Amateurs – 15 River Islands G C
1992 Professionals – 29.5 Amateurs – 14.5 Legends Club
1993 Professionals – 28.5 Amateurs – 19.5 Legends Club
1994 Professionals – 22.5 Amateurs – 13.5 Legends Club
1995 Professionals – 20 Amateurs – 16 Legends Club
1996 Professionals – 20 Amateurs – 16 Legends Club
1997 Amateurs – 25.5 Professionals – 14.5 Legends Club
1998 Professionals – 21.5 Amateurs – 18.5 Legends Club
1999 Amateurs – 24 Professionals – 20 Legends Club
2000 Amateurs – 24.5 Professionals – 19.5 Legends Club
2001 Professionals – 24 Amateurs – 20 Nashville G & A
2002 Amateurs – 26 Professionals – 18 Nashville G & A
2003 Professional – 26 Amateurs – 18 Nashville G & A
2004 Amateurs – 18 Professionals – 15 Cottonwoods G C
2005 Professionals – 20 Amateurs – 12 Ridgeway C C
2006 Amateurs – 16.5 Professionals – 15.5 Vanderbilt Legends
2007 Professionals – 17.5 Amateurs – 14.5 Vanderbilt Legends
2008 Amateurs- 21.5 Professionals- 10.5 Vanderbilt Legends
2009 Professionals- 18.5 Amateurs- 13.5 Vanderbilt Legends
2010 Amateurs- 16.5 Professionals- 15.5 Vanderbilt Legends
2011 Amateurs- 18.5 Professionals- 13.5 Vanderbilt Legends
2012 Amateurs- 20 Professionals- 12 Vanderbilt Legends
2013 Amateurs- 17 Professionals- 15 Stonehenge GC
2014 Professionals- 17.5 Amateurs- 14.5 Stonehenge GC
2015 Amateurs- 20 Professionals 12 Stonehenge GC
2016 Professionals- 19 Amateurs- 13 Stonehenge GC
2017 Amateurs- 15 Professionals- 9 The Honors Course
2018 Professionals- 18 Amateurs- 14 Cherokee CC
2019 Professionals- 17 Amateurs- 15 Chattanooga G&CC
2020 Amateurs- 20 Professionals-12 Hillwood CC
2021 Amateurs- 21 Professionals-11 Sewanee GC
2022 Professionals- 18 Amateurs- 14 Holston Hills CC

Series Total – Professionals – 32 Amateurs – 23