Pro Golf Tourney Coming To West Caldwell: LPGA Founders Cup 2021

WEST CALDWELL, NJ — The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) recently announced that the 2021 LPGA Cognizant Founders Cup is coming to the Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell.

The event offers a $3 million purse, making it the largest of any LPGA tour event outside of the majors and the CME Group Tour Championship, organizers said.

It will take place from Oct. 4 to Oct. 10.

“There is no better venue than Mountain Ridge Country Club to carry on the great tradition of the LPGA Cognizant Founders Cup,” tournament director Scott Wood said.

“We are thrilled to bring this event to Northern New Jersey, and the home of our dedicated title sponsor Cognizant, during the beautiful fall days of October and showcase the best professional golfers in the world, as we honor our founders and pioneers of the LPGA,” Wood said.

“The Garden State has long been a supporter of women’s golf, and we think fans will embrace this event in a big way,” Wood added.

The LPGA Cognizant Founders Cup joins a long list of prominent events to be held at Mountain Ridge Country Club, including the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship in 2012, the Metropolitan Golf Association Open Championship in 1985, 1996, 2000 and 2020; the MGA’s Ike Stroke-Play Championship in 2007; the New Jersey PGA Section Championship in 1962, 1990, 2007, 2009 and 2017, and the French American Challenge in 1997.

The Donald Ross-designed course opened in 1931 and has varied little in 90 years. It is known for its “wide fairways and deceptive greens,” organizers said.

BRAND AMBASSADORS

As part of pre-event planning, golf fans, local residents and supporters of women’s golf are welcomed to visit the Brand Ambassador Center and register to serve as “brand ambassadors” throughout tournament week.

According to organizers, the brand ambassadors will assist with all aspects of tournament operations, in both on-course and behind the scenes capacities for the week-long event that pays tribute to the 13 founding members of the LPGA, including surviving founders, Marlene Bauer Hagge and Shirley Spork.

Each brand ambassador package costs $80.

“The LPGA Cognizant Founders Cup is a massive undertaking, and the success of the Tournament is elevated by the commitment of a small army of brand ambassadors,” said Bella Koenig, event brand ambassador coordinator and LPGA manager, tournament business affairs.

“Each year, nearly 800 ambassadors dedicate their time, energy, and spirit to serve in critical positions such as marshaling, scoring, transportation, hospitality services and many other important jobs that make the event so special for both the players and spectators,” Koenig said.

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