Big Ten to move golf championships in 2012

French Lick Resort in southern Indiana has been awarded the Big Ten men’s and women’s golf championships in 2012, 2013 and 2014. This marks the first time that both the men and women will compete at the same time and on a neutral site.

Before the move to a permanent neutral venue, Northwestern will stage the final on-campus Big Ten Women’s Golf Championships April 22-24 at Lake Shore Country Club in Glencoe.

The event marks the first time the Wildcats have had the opportunity to host the women’s conference tournament.

“Our standard for the Big Ten Championships is to stage a world-class event, and we are excited to have the opportunity to serve as the launching pad toward a permanent site beginning in 2012,” Northwestern head women’s coach Emily Fletcher said. “With the tremendous support of the staff and the members at historic Lake Shore Country Club, we feel the student-athletes and fans are going to have an amazing experience. From electronic scoreboards to on-course standard bearers and Big Ten Network television coverage, our expectation is to make the final on-campus Championship the best one yet.”

Beginning in 2012, the Big Ten men’s championships will be contested on the award-winning Pete Dye course at French Lick Resort, and the women’s event will be held on the historic Donald Ross Course. Golfweek Magazine recently ranked the Dye course Indiana’s “Best Courses You Can Play,” and the Ross course No. 2 among the “Best Courses You Can Play” rankings in the state.