The Brief
The Epson Tour is bringing consecutive women’s professional golf tournaments to Portland and Pendleton on back-to-back weeks, with The Standard Portland Classic (Aug. 13-16) and the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic (Aug. 21-23) creating a regional partnership designed to grow women’s golf and highlight its economic impact.
The Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic in Pendleton enters its fifth year and has become a launching pad for future LPGA players, with a dozen competitors from last year’s tournament earning LPGA Tour membership through the “Race for the Card” points competition.
Professional golfers will conduct free golf clinics for local and tribal youth on Tuesday of tournament week, with spots limited to the first 50 registered junior golfers of all skill levels.
PENDLETON, Ore. — The road to the LPGA just got shorter for some of the world’s top up-and-coming women’s golfers.
Oregon’s two premier women’s golf tournaments are joining forces this summer, creating a back-to-back partnership designed to grow women’s professional golf and highlight its economic impact across the Pacific Northwest. The Standard Portland Classic and the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic are staggering their dates and pooling resources to maximize visibility, make events more affordable, and build a stronger regional pipeline for the LPGA Tour.
“We’re pretty excited about the potential relationship between the two and growing the game of golf, both here in the northwest and the Portland area as well as the Tri-Cities area,” said Gary George, an organizer involved with the tournaments.
The Standard Portland Classic, the longest-running non-major tournament on the LPGA Tour and the only professional golf tour stop in the Pacific Northwest, takes place August 13-16 at the historic Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland. The Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic follows one week later in Pendleton, August 21-23, at the Wildhorse Golf Course.
This arrangement gives players another chance to compete without traveling across the country, benefiting both the athletes and the growth of women’s professional golf in the region.
The Path to the LPGA
The Epson Tour serves as the official qualifying and developmental circuit for the LPGA Tour. Players secure their spot on the LPGA through a season-long points competition known as the “Race for the Card,” where the top 15 finishers at the end of the year earn automatic LPGA Tour membership for the following season.
Throughout the season, members accumulate points at every official Epson Tour tournament. The top 10 finishers and ties earn LPGA Tour cards in Category 9, while finishers ranked 11-15 and ties earn cards in Category 16. Each regular-season event winner receives 500 points, while the season-ending Epson Tour Championship features elevated points—a 30% increase—offering 650 points to the winner to add extra stakes to the finale.
The Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic, entering its fifth year, has established itself as a proving ground for future LPGA players. Last year alone, a dozen golfers who competed in Pendleton later earned LPGA Tour membership through the “Race for the Card” points race.
Growing the Game Locally
But organizers say the tournament’s impact extends far beyond the leaderboard.
Before competition begins, professional golfers will spend a day teaching local and tribal youth the fundamentals of the game during free golf clinics. The clinics give kids the chance to interact with professional athletes and see firsthand what’s possible through hard work and dedication.
“Having our youth clinics being taught by these professionals is really a blessing,” George said.
The free half-day golf clinics are held on Tuesday of tournament week at the Wildhorse Golf Course and are open to participants of all skill levels. Sessions cover swing fundamentals, chipping, putting, etiquette, and basic rules. Kids are encouraged to bring their own clubs. To register, click here.
Spots are strictly limited to the first 50 registered junior golfers. Advance registration and waiver forms are required to secure a spot.
The tournament also relies on more than 100 volunteers each year, making it one of the region’s largest annual sporting events. The Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic generates a major economic boost for Eastern Oregon by drawing hundreds of players, staff, and fans who increase local hotel occupancy, dining, and retail spending.
“It’s a great opportunity to see professional lady golfers and grow the game,” George said.
Tournament week begins August 17th, with competition scheduled for August 21st through August 23rd.
COPYRIGHT 2026 BY APPLE VALLEY NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.