The list of clubs the Jackson T. Stephens Cup has visited in its four-year history would make any golfer envious. The elite collegiate tournament put its name on the map in 2021 when Warren Stephens sought out the best way to honor his father Jackson’s passion for sportsmanship, excellence and the belief in nurturing the next generation of the game’s elite at The Alotian Club in Roland, Arkansas - a venue created by Warren in 2004 that serves as the tournament’s home base. Since then, the Jackson T. Stephens Cup has been contested at Seminole Golf Club, Trinity Forest Golf Club and Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. Now, the tournament’s fifth playing will head to the Seth Raynor-designed Shoreacres in Lake Bluff Sept. 15-17.
Named in memory of Jackson, a former chairman of Augusta National, the event features six of the top men’s and women’s teams in the country each fall. Notable past participants include 2022 NCAA champion Rose Zhang, 2021 NCAA champion Rachel Heck and 2021 Western Amateur victor Michael Thorbjornsen. Additionally, top players from U.S. Military Service Academies and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are invited as an ode to the Stephens family’s commitment to fostering inclusion and expanding opportunities in the game. This year’s field includes the defending NCAA title winners in the Northwestern University women’s golf team, leading a group of six top-10 women’s programs, along with three of the top-10 men’s teams. An additional 12 individual competitors from Military Service Academies and HBCUs will also join the fold.
The tournament will begin with a welcome reception dinner on Saturday, Sept. 13. Player practice rounds, a College-Am and “Jack’s Day,” an event bringing together participants from The First Tee and those competing in the Jackson T. Stephens Cup at Shoreacres, will all occur Sunday. Monday and Tuesday will feature a total of three rounds of stroke play, with the top four men’s and women’s teams advancing to a match-play exhibition to conclude the festivities on Wednesday. Those looking to take in the action can purchase tickets using the link below, or tune in to Golf Channel for nine hours of coverage throughout the week.
