William “Doc” McMahon

Every summer the best amateur golfers in the world descend upon the Niagara Falls Country Club for The Porter Cup.

Through the years, The Porter Cup has hosted many of the stars of the game today. Golfing greats such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler, Davis Love III, David Duval, Tom Lehman, Hal Sutton, Justin Leonard and many, many others sharpened their skills at the Tournament.

The success of the annual event has its foundation based on the work of William “Doc” McMahon and the tourney’s early leaders.

“Doc” brought in the best amateur players, not only in the United States and Canada, but from Australia and Asia as well. “Doc was a great guy because he had a tremendous respect for amateur golf and took a lot of time to perpetuate it,” said Buddy Marucci, a long time Porter Cup player and a friend of McMahon’s. After his death in 1995, McMahon’s favorite spot on the course-where the third, fourth, sixth and seventh holes are clustered-was dedicated as “Doc’s Corner”. There is a small monument along the cart path to mark the spot.

McMahon, who was a flight surgeon for the United States Air Force from 1943-49, served as the tournament director for the Niagara Falls Country Club and The Porter Cup for 17 years. He also served as the chairman of The Porter Cup from 1962-64, and again in 1974.

McMahon was active in the Buffalo District Golf Association and served as that organization’s president. The award for the low mid-amateur, the William J. McMahon Award, is named in his honor.

McMahon passed away in 1995.

The biographies contained on this website were written at the time of the honoree's induction into the Hall of Fame. No attempt has been made to update these narratives to reflect more recent events, activities, or statistics.