U.S. Amateur Explained

U.S. Amateur
Location:	Chaska, Minnesota (2024)
Establishment:	1895
Course:	Hazeltine National Golf Club (2024)
Par:	72 (2024)
Yardage:	7599yd (2024)
Org:	USGA
Format:	Stroke play and match play
Month Played:	August
Current Champion:	José Luis Ballester

The United States Amateur Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Amateur, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association and is currently held each August over a 7-day period.

History

In 1894, there were two tournaments called the "National Amateur Championship". One of them was played at Newport Country Club and was won by William G. Lawrence, and the other took place at Saint Andrew's Golf Club and was won by Laurence B. Stoddart. This state of affairs prompted Charles B. Macdonald of the Chicago Golf Club to call for the creation of a national governing body to authorize an official national championship, and the Amateur Golf Association of the United States, which was soon to be renamed the United States Golf Association, was formed on December 22 of that year. In 1895 it organized both the first U.S. Amateur Championship and the first U.S. Open, both of which were played at Newport Country Club.

There are no age or gender restrictions on entry, but players must have a handicap index of 2.4 or less. Originally, entry was restricted to members of USGA-affiliated private clubs (and, presumably, international players who were members of private clubs affiliated with their nations' golf governing bodies), a restriction that was not lifted until 1979.^[1] The tournament consists of two days of stroke play, with the leading 64 competitors then playing a knockout competition held at match play to decide the champion. All knockout matches are over 18 holes except for the final, which consists of 36 holes, separated into morning and afternoon 18-hole rounds. Nowadays it is usually won by players in their late teens or early twenties who are working towards a career as a tournament professional. Before World War II more top-level golfers chose to remain amateur, and the average age of U.S. Amateur champions was higher.

Many of the leading figures in the history of golf have been U.S. Amateur champions, including Bobby Jones five times, Jerome Travers four times, Jack Nicklaus twice and Tiger Woods three times (all consecutive; the only player to win three in a row). Woods' first win, as an 18-year-old in 1994, made him the youngest winner of the event, breaking the previous record of 19 years 5 months set by Robert Gardner in 1909. In 2008, New Zealander Danny Lee became the youngest ever winner, only to be eclipsed by 17-year-old An Byeong-hun the following year. Before the professional game became dominant, the event was regarded as one of the majors. This is no longer the case, but the champion still receives an automatic invitation to play in all of the majors except the PGA Championship. In addition, the runner-up also receives an invitation to play in the Masters and the U.S. Open. The golfers must maintain their amateur status at the time the events are held (unless they qualify for the tournaments by other means). The USGA added an exception starting with the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship in that the tournament winner only may turn professional and keep his berth for the ensuing U.S. Open.

With the growth in professional golf through the latter half of the 20th century, the U.S. Amateur has become dominated by younger players destined to soon become professionals. In 1981 the USGA established a new championship called the U.S. Mid-Amateur for amateurs aged at least 25 years old in order to give players who had not joined the professional ranks, and those who had regained their amateur status, a chance to play against each other for a national title.

Field

While most players at the U.S. Amateur advance through sectional qualifying, many players are exempt each year. Below are the exemptions:

1. Winners of the U.S. Amateur each of the last ten years.
2. Runner-up of the U.S. Amateur each of the last three years.
3. Semi-finalists of the U.S. Amateur each of the last two years.
4. Quarter-finalists of the U.S. Amateur the previous year.
5. Any player who qualified for the current year's U.S. Open.
6. Those returning 72 hole scores from the previous year's U.S. Open.
7. The amateur with the lowest score from the current year's U.S. Senior Open.
8. From the U.S. Mid-Amateur: winner each of the last two years and runner-up from the previous year.
9. From the U.S. Amateur Public Links: winner each of the last two years and runner-up from the previous year. Because the Amateur Public Links was discontinued after its 2014 edition, the runner-up exemption disappeared after the 2015 U.S. Amateur, and the winner's exemption disappeared after 2016.
10. From the U.S. Junior Amateur: winner each of the last two years and runner-up from the previous year.
11. From the U.S. Senior Amateur: winner each of the last two years and runner-up from the previous year.
12. Playing members of the two most recent Walker Cup teams.
13. Playing members of the two most recent U.S. Eisenhower Trophy teams.
14. Playing members of the current year's U.S. Men's Copa de las Américas team.
15. Winner of the current year's individual NCAA Division I Championship.
16. Winner of the British Amateur Championship each of the last five years.
17. Top hundred golfers in World Amateur Golf Ranking.
18. Winner of the current year Latin America Amateur Championship.^[2]

In all cases, the exemptions only apply if the player has not turned professional as of the tournament date.

Winners

Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up	Primary course	Stroke play co-host
2024		2 up			Chaska Town Course
2023		4 & 3			Colorado Golf Club
2022		1 up			Arcola Country Club
2021		2 & 1			Longue Vue Club
2020		1 up		Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Dunes)	Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon Trails)
2019		2 & 1		Pinehurst Resort (No. 2)	Pinehurst Resort (No. 4)
2018		6 & 5			Spyglass Hill Golf Course
2017		37th hole			Bel-Air Country Club
2016		6 & 4		Oakland Hills Country Club (South Course)	Oakland Hills Country Club (North Course)
2015		7 & 6		Olympia Fields Country Club (North Course)	Olympia Fields Country Club (South Course)
2014		2 & 1		Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands Course)	Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside Course)
2013		4 & 3			Charles River Country Club
2012		37th hole			CommonGround Golf Course
2011		2 up			Blue Mound Golf & Country Club
2010		4 & 2			The Home Course
2009		7 & 5			Cedar Ridge Country Club
2008		5 & 4		Pinehurst Resort (No. 2)	Pinehurst Resort (No. 4)
2007		2 & 1		Olympic Club (Lake Course)	Olympic Club (Ocean Course)
2006		4 & 2			Chaska Town Course
2005		4 & 3			Philadelphia Country Club
2004		2 up		Winged Foot Golf Club (West Course)	Winged Foot Golf Club (East Course)
2003		37th hole			Pittsburgh Field Club
2002		2 & 1		Oakland Hills Country Club (South Course)	Oakland Hills Country Club (North Course)
2001		1 up			Druid Hills Golf Club
2000		39th hole		Baltusrol Golf Club (Upper Course)	Baltusrol Golf Club (Lower Course)
1999		9 & 8			Spyglass Hill Golf Course
1998		2 & 1		Oak Hill Country Club (East Course)	Oak Hill Country Club (West Course)
1997		2 & 1		Cog Hill Golf & Country Club (No. 4)	Cog Hill Golf & Country Club (No. 2)
1996	Tiger Woods (3)	38th hole		Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (Witch Hollow Course)	Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (Ghost Creek Course)
1995	Tiger Woods (2)	2 up			Wanumetonomy Golf and Country Club
1994		2 up		TPC at Sawgrass (Stadium Course)	TPC at Sawgrass (Valley Course)
1993		5 & 3		Champions Golf Club (Cypress Creek Course)	Champions Golf Club (Jackrabbit Course)
1992		8 & 7			The Country Club at Muirfield Village
1991		7 & 6			Cleveland Country Club
1990		5 & 4			Meridian Golf Club
1989		3 & 1			Waynesborough Country Club
1988		7 & 6		The Homestead (Cascades Course)	The Homestead (Lower Cascades Course)
1987		4 & 3		Jupiter Hills Club (Hills Course)	Jupiter Hills Club (Village Course)
1986		5 & 3			Country Club of Birmingham
1985		1 up		Montclair Golf Club (fourth and second nines)	Montclair Golf Club (first and third nines)
1984		4 & 3			Oak Tree Country Club
1983	Jay Sigel (2)	8 & 7			Skokie Country Club
1982		8 & 7			Charles River Country Club
1981		1 up		Olympic Club (Lake Course)	Olympic Club (Ocean Course)
1980		9 & 8			Pinehurst Resort (No. 2)
1979		8 & 7			Shaker Heights Country Club
1978		5 & 4			n/a
1977		9 & 8		Aronimink Golf Club
1976		8 & 6		Bel-Air Country Club
1975		2 up		Country Club of Virginia
1974		2 & 1		Ridgewood Country Club
1973		6 & 5		Inverness Club
1965–1972: Stroke play
1972		285			n/a
1971	Gary Cowan (2)	280		Wilmington Country Club
1970		279		Waverley Country Club
1969		286		Oakmont Country Club
1968		284		Scioto Country Club
1967		285		Broadmoor Golf Club
1966		285		Merion Golf Club
1965		291		Southern Hills Country Club
1895–1964: Match play
1964		1 up			n/a
1963	Deane Beman (2)	2 & 1		Wakonda Club
1962		1 up		Pinehurst Resort
1961	Jack Nicklaus (2)	8 & 6		Pebble Beach Golf Links
1960		6 & 4		St. Louis Country Club
1959		1 up		Broadmoor Golf Club
1958	Charles Coe (2)	5 & 4		Olympic Club
1957		5 & 4		The Country Club
1956	Harvie Ward (2)	5 & 4		Knollwood Club
1955		9 & 8		Country Club of Virginia
1954		1 up		Country Club of Detroit
1953		1 up		Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club
1952		3 & 2		Seattle Golf Club
1951		4 & 3		Saucon Valley Country Club
1950		39th hole		Minneapolis Golf Club
1949		11 & 10		Oak Hill Country Club
1948	Willie Turnesa (2)	2 & 1		Memphis Country Club
1947		2 & 1		Pebble Beach Golf Links
1946		37th hole		Baltusrol Golf Club
1942–1945: No championships due to World War II
1941	Bud Ward (2)	4 & 3		Omaha Field Club	n/a
1940		11 & 9		Winged Foot Golf Club
1939		7 & 5		North Shore Country Club
1938		8 & 7		Oakmont Country Club
1937		2 up		Alderwood Country Club
1936		37th hole		Garden City Golf Club
1935	Lawson Little (2)	4 & 2		The Country Club
1934		8 & 7		The Country Club
1933		6 & 5		Kenwood Country Club
1932		2 & 1		Baltimore Country Club
1931	Francis Ouimet (2)	6 & 5		Beverly Country Club
1930	Bobby Jones (5)	8 & 7		Merion Golf Club
1929		4 & 3		Pebble Beach Golf Links
	Bobby Jones (4)	10 & 9		Brae Burn Country Club
1927	Bobby Jones (3)	8 & 7		Minikahda Club
1926		2 & 1		Baltusrol Golf Club
1925	Bobby Jones (2)	8 & 7		Oakmont Country Club
1924		9 & 8		Merion Golf Club
1923		38th hole		Flossmoor Country Club
1922		3 & 2		The Country Club
1921		7 & 6		St. Louis Country Club
1920	Chick Evans (2)	7 & 6		Engineers Country Club
1919		5 & 4		Oakmont Country Club
1917–1918: No championships due to World War I
1916		4 & 3			n/a
1915	Robert Gardner (2)	5 & 4		Country Club of Detroit
1914		6 & 5		Ekwanok Country Club
1913	Jerome Travers (4)	5 & 4		Garden City Golf Club
1912	Jerome Travers (3)	7 & 6		Chicago Golf Club
1911		37th hole		The Apawamis Club
1910		4 & 3		The Country Club
1909		4 & 3		Chicago Golf Club
1908	Jerome Travers (2)	8 & 7		Garden City Golf Club
1907		6 & 5		Euclid Club
1906		2 up		Englewood Golf Club
1905	Chandler Egan (2)	6 & 5		Chicago Golf Club
1904		8 & 6		Baltusrol Golf Club
1903	Walter Travis (3)	5 & 4		Nassau Country Club
1902		4 & 2		Glen View Club
1901	Walter Travis (2)	5 & 4		Atlantic City Country Club
1900		2 up		Garden City Golf Club
1899		3 & 2		Onwentsia Club
1898		5 & 3		Morris County Golf Club
1897	H. J. Whigham (2)	8 & 6		Chicago Golf Club
1896		8 & 7		Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
1895		12 & 11		Newport Country Club

Multiple winners

Twelve players have won both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open Championships, through 2024:

• Jerome Travers: 1907, 1908, 1912, 1913 Amateurs; 1915 Open
• Francis Ouimet: 1914, 1931 Amateurs; 1913 Open
• Chick Evans:^ 1916, 1920 Amateurs; 1916 Open
• Bobby Jones:^ 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930 Amateurs; 1923, 1926, 1929, 1930 Opens
• Lawson Little: 1934, 1935 Amateurs; 1940 Open
• Johnny Goodman: 1937 Amateur; 1933 Open
• Gene Littler: 1953 Amateur; 1961 Open
• Arnold Palmer: 1954 Amateur; 1960 Open
• Jack Nicklaus: 1959, 1961 Amateurs; 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980 Opens
• Jerry Pate: 1974 Amateur; 1976 Open
• Tiger Woods: 1994, 1995, 1996 Amateurs; 2000, 2002, 2008 Opens
• Bryson DeChambeau

2015 Amateur; 2020, 2024 Opens

• Matt Fitzpatrick

2013 Amateur; 2022 Open

Thirteen players have won both the U.S. Amateur and British Amateurs, through 2024:

• Walter Travis: 1900, 1901, 1903 U.S.; 1904 British
• Harold Hilton:^ 1911 U.S.; 1900, 1901, 1911, 1913 British
• Jess Sweetser: 1922 U.S.; 1926 British
• Bobby Jones:^ 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930 U.S.; 1930 British
• Lawson Little:^ 1934, 1935 U.S.; 1934, 1935 British
• Willie Turnesa: 1938, 1948 U.S.; 1947 British
• Dick Chapman: 1940 U.S.; 1951 British
• Harvie Ward: 1955, 1956 U.S.; 1952 British
• Deane Beman: 1960, 1963 U.S.; 1959 British
• Bob Dickson:^ 1967 U.S.; 1967 British
• Steve Melnyk: 1969 U.S.; 1971 British
• Vinny Giles: 1972 U.S.; 1975 British
• Jay Sigel: 1982, 1983 U.S.; 1979 British

Two players have won both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur through 2024:

• Tiger Woods: 1994, 1995, 1996 Amateurs; 1991, 1992, 1993 Junior Amateur
• Nick Dunlap: 2023 Amateur; 2021 Junior Amateur

Two players have won both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links in the same year:

• Ryan Moore: 2004
• Colt Knost: 2007

^ Won both in same year. Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam in 1930, winning the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, British Amateur, and British Open.

Most times hosted

• Six
  • Merion Golf Club (1916, 1924, 1930, 1966, 1989, 2005)
  • The Country Club (1910, 1922, 1934, 1957, 1982, 2013)
  • Oakmont Country Club (1919, 1925, 1938, 1969, 2003, 2021)
• Five
  • Pebble Beach Golf Links (1929, 1947, 1961, 1999, 2018)
• Four
  • Chicago Golf Club (1897, 1905, 1909, 1912)
  • Garden City Golf Club (1900, 1908, 1913, 1936)
  • Baltusrol Golf Club (1904, 1926, 1946, 2000)

Future sites

Year	Edition	Course	Location	Dates	Previous championships hosted
2025	125th			August 11–17	1958, 1981, 2007
2026	126th			August 10–16	1916, 1924, 1930, 1966, 1989, 2005
2027	127th			August 9–15	1949, 1998
2028	128th			August 14–20
2029	129th			August 13–19	1973
2030	130th			August 12–18	2014
2031	131st			August 11–17	1991
2032	132nd			August 9–15	2020
2033	133rd			August 15–21	2010
2034	134th			August 14–20	1910, 1922, 1934, 1957, 1982, 2013
2035	135th			August 13–19	2011
2036	136th			August 11–17	1968
2038	138th			TBD	1962, 2008, 2019
2041	141st	Bandon Dunes Golf Resort	Bandon, Oregon	TBD	2020, 2032
2047	147th			TBD	2002, 2016
2051	151st			TBD	1951

Source^[3]

Exemptions

The U.S. Amateur results lead to exemptions into other tournaments. Except for the U.S. Open exemption for the winner, the exemption holds only if the golfer retains their amateur status. All the exemptions listed below pertain to only the winner of the U.S. Amateur, unless otherwise stated.

Here are the major exemptions:

• The next 10 years of the U.S. Amateur
• The next 3 years of the U.S. Amateur (runner-up)
• The next 2 years of the U.S. Amateur (semi-finalists)
• The following year's U.S. Amateur (quarter-finalists)
• The following year's U.S. Open (winner and runner-up) (winner is permitted to turn professional before the tournament)
• The following year's Masters Tournament (winner and runner-up)
• The following year's Open Championship^[4]
• The next 10 years of the Amateur Championship^[5]

Here are the other exemptions:

• The following year's Monroe Invitational (top 8 + top 20 stroke portion)^[6]
• The following year's Northeast Amateur (top 8)^[7]

External links

• Official site - most of the information is in the archive sections

Notes and References

1. Changes Made to USGA Championship Roster . United States Golf Association . February 11, 2013 . February 11, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130213072429/http://www.usga.org/news/2013/February/Changes-Made-To-USGA-Championship-Roster/ . February 13, 2013 . dead . mdy-all .
2. Web site: 2018 Results . www.laacgolf.com . 2019-04-04 . mdy-all.
3. Web site: Future Sites: U.S. Amateur . USGA.
4. Web site: The Open - Exemptions . www.theopen.com . July 20, 2018.
5. Web site: The R&A - Conditions of Competition. www.randa.org. en. July 20, 2018.
6. Web site: Exemptions – Monroe Invitational . www.monroeinvitational.com . July 20, 2018.
7. Web site: Invitation Criteria . www.northeastamateur.com . July 20, 2018.