About the Friendship Cup

About the Friendship Cup:

After the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War in 1775 and the signing of the Declaration of Independence a year later, the United States desperately needed friends. Fortunately, the young country found one right away in the Kingdom of Morocco. Its leader, Sultan Mohammed III, decreed in 1777 that his nation open its ports to American ships. That same year, he made Morocco the first country in the world to recognize U.S. independence. Then in 1786, the Kingdom executed a treaty of peace and friendship with the nascent nation. Renegotiated in 1836, the pact remains in effect to this day, making America’s relationship with Morocco the longest unbroken one in U.S. history. Not surprisingly, leaders from both lands describe the relationship between America and Morocco as “special.”

That close connection is also inspired the establishment of an annual golf tournament, staged for the first time in January of 2023. In many ways, the competition, which is called the Morocco-America Friendship Cup and features players from many of the most esteemed golf clubs in America, celebrates that longstanding link. The event is also designed to highlight the Kingdom as a tourist destination and entice American travelers to visit the North African land and experience its people, its natural beauty and its many cultural riches. In addition, the new competition seeks to honor the legacy of Sultan Mohammed III, the man who first established relations with America, as it also pays tribute to the late King Hassan II, who also prized the special connection between Morocco and the U.S. - and who came to see golf as a way to further advance ties between those two lands while promoting tourism in the Kingdom.

— John Steinbreder

MEET THE FOUNDERS

  • John Steinbreder is an award-winning print and digital journalist and the author of 26 books. A senior writer for Global Golf Post, he also contributes regularly to Masters.com and Masters Journal. He has reported on the game of golf on five continents, covered 33 major championships and received 16 honors for his work from the Golf Writers Association of America and 40 from the International Network of Golf. A graduate of the University of Oregon School of Journalism, Steinbreder also attended the University of Nairobi in Kenya and Franklin University in Lugano, Switzerland, for which he serves as a visiting professor of journalism and writing. He and his wife Cynthia have two daughters, Exa and Lydia, and live in Redding, Connecticut.

  • Rick Smotkin is an experienced government relations professional with a deep understanding of policy matters in Washington, DC and foreign capitals around the world. For the past two decades, he has assisted clients navigating mission critical policy initiatives throughout every corner of the globe.

    Before starting his own firm, Rick served as Senior Vice President of Global Government Affairs for Comcast/NBCUniversal.  

    Prior to joining Comcast, Rick worked for the International Republican Institute (IRI) in East Timor as the Resident Program Officer.  In this capacity, he directed a politically sensitive democracy building project focusing on political party development, electoral research and analysis, governance and local NGO support.  He also worked on several political campaigns and served as legislative aide for US Senator John Ashcroft.

  • Charlie Schuyler is Vice President, Enterprise Partnerships, for Zotec Partners, a revenue cycle and practice management company, located in Carmel, Indiana and Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board for Pros Fore Clothes Foundation, a 501(c)3 that exists to provide people in need with clothing within the United States and around the world. Previously, Charlie maintained a PGA of America membership holding leadership positions with Saucon Valley Country Club, Augusta National Golf Club, Rehoboth Beach Country Club, Congressional Country Club, Bonita Bay Club, and Baltusrol Golf Club.  

    Charlie is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University (Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management) where he met Lauren Lundy, his wife to be. In addition to his current responsibilities, Charlie serves as a mentor in the PSU PGA Golf Management Mentorship Program and serves on the Board of the Indiana Golf Foundation and PGA of America PGA REACH Foundation Philadelphia. Charlie and Lauren live in Conshohocken, PA.

FRIENDS OF THE FRIENDSHIP CUP

  • Jennipher Satterly is an American representational painter specializing in golf landscapes.  For almost three decades, her work has been uniquely defined by a mark making technique that falls nothing short of magic, brought to life by her long-standing love affair with the act of painting itself.  Her work is lauded for capturing moments of light, as she strives to recognize the visual merits in the beauty and splendor of golf's greatest places.   She earned her Master of Fine Art degree from The Glasgow School of Art in Scotland and her Bachelor of Fine Art from Purchase College in New York. Her work has been exhibited internationally including the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland.

    She is an official fine art licensee for the St Andrews Links Trust and the Pebble Beach Company, member of the United States Golf Association, the Northern California Golf Association, the British Golf Collectors Society, the Golf Heritage Society, and on the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Golf Foundation. In addition, Satterly is the artist fellow for the Morocco-America Friendship Cup.

  • Ambassador (Ret) Dwight L. Bush served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco under President Barack Obama. Ambassador Bush is a highly accomplished business executive with a background in banking and finance, corporate management, and public company and private organization governance.

    He is currently President of DL Bush & Associates, a Washington D.C. based Strategic Advisory firm. Ambassador Bush started his career at the Chase Manhattan Bank where he served in various international banking capacities. Subsequent to his time at Chase, Ambassador Bush held various corporate positions including, at Sallie Mae, and Stuart Mill Capital LLC, before serving as President and CEO of Urban Trust Bank. In addition to his corporate work, Ambassador Bush has been active in non - profit governance including serving on the boards of trustees of Cornell University, The GAVI Alliance, and The National Symphony Orchestra. Ambassador Bush is a graduate of Cornell University.

  • Tony Sessa, originally from Massachusetts, grew up in the suburbs of Boston, where his father ignited his passion for golf at a young age. By the age of 12, Tony knew that golf was his calling and set his sights on a career in the sport.

    After completing his education, Tony pursued a professional golfing career, eventually becoming a PGA Professional. He began his Club Professional journey at Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, Florida, before gaining valuable experience over five seasons at the Maidstone Club in East Hampton, New York.

    In 1996, Tony secured an Assistant Professional Position at the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club, a milestone in his career. By 2000, he became the first Head Golf Professional at the newly developed East Hampton Golf Club, designed by renowned architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Tony continued to split his time between Augusta National and East Hampton Golf Club for the next twenty-two years.

    In 2022, after a successful 26-year career, including eighteen years as the Co-Head Professional at Augusta National, Tony retired and transitioned into the role of General Manager/Director of Golf at the East Hampton Golf Club.

    Tony has been happily married for 29 years and has a daughter named Mia. Mia is a Junior at Yale University and standout on the Yale Golf Team. Her accomplishments include being named to the first team all-Ivy Conference during her Sophomore Year.

    Tony remains deeply involved in golf, dedicating his time to studying the game and coaching.

    His current favorite role is that of assistant coach at Yale. He enjoys traveling with his family, especially to Morocco, and embarking on golf expeditions whenever possible.

  • Mike Rymer has over 20 years of elite, private golf club experience. A highly skilled and accomplished player, Mike’s playing resume boasts winning the Maryland State High School Individual Championship, being a member of the Ole Miss Men’s golf team, playing in 3 PGA Professional National Championships and the PGA National Assistants Championship. Mike has excelled at teaching the game of golf and takes a huge interest in his student’s successes. An attention to detail and providing the best possible member experience are a daily focus at Champions Retreat under Mike’s leadership. Mike and his wife, Erin, look forward to returning to Morocco. They and their two children live in Evans, Georgia.