U.S. Amateur
 Jerry Patewith U.S. Amateur trophy, 1974 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Chaska, Minnesota(2024) |
| Established | 1895 |
| Course(s) | Hazeltine National Golf Club(2024) |
| Par | 72 (2024) |
| Length | 7,599 yd (6,949 m) (2024) |
| Organized by | USGA |
| Format | Stroke playandmatch play |
| Month played | August |
| Current champion | |
 José Luis Ballester | |
TheUnited States Amateur Championship,commonly known as theU.S. Amateur,is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by theUnited States Golf Associationand is currently held each August over a 7-day period.
History
[edit]In 1894, there were two tournaments called the "National Amateur Championship". One of them was played atNewport Country Cluband was won by William G. Lawrence, and the other took place atSaint Andrew's Golf Cluband was won by Laurence B. Stoddart. This state of affairs promptedCharles B. Macdonaldof theChicago Golf Clubto 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 theUnited States Golf Association,was formed on December 22 of that year. In 1895 it organized both the first U.S. Amateur Championship and the firstU.S. Open,both of which were played at Newport Country Club.
There are no age or gender restrictions on entry, but players must have ahandicapindex 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 ofstroke play,with the leading 64 competitors then playing a knockout competition held atmatch playto 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 atournament professional.BeforeWorld War IImore 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, includingBobby Jonesfive times,Jerome Traversfour times,Jack Nicklaustwice andTiger Woodsthree 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 byRobert Gardnerin 1909. In 2008, New ZealanderDanny Leebecame the youngest ever winner, only to be eclipsed by 17-year-oldAn Byeong-hunthe following year. Before the professional game became dominant, the event was regarded as one of themajors.This is no longer the case, but the champion still receives an automatic invitation to play in all of the majors except thePGA Championship.In addition, the runner-up also receives an invitation to play in theMastersand theU.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 winneronlymay 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 theU.S. Mid-Amateurfor 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
[edit]While most players at the U.S. Amateur advance through sectional qualifying, many players are exempt each year. Below are the exemptions:
- Winners of the U.S. Amateur each of the last ten years.
- Runner-up of the U.S. Amateur each of the last three years.
- Semi-finalists of the U.S. Amateur each of the last two years.
- Quarter-finalists of the U.S. Amateur the previous year.
- Any player who qualified for the current year'sU.S. Open.
- Those returning 72 hole scores from the previous year's U.S. Open.
- The amateur with the lowest score from the current year'sU.S. Senior Open.
- From theU.S. Mid-Amateur:winner each of the last two years and runner-up from the previous year.
- From theU.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.
- From theU.S. Junior Amateur:winner each of the last two years and runner-up from the previous year.
- From theU.S. Senior Amateur:winner each of the last two years and runner-up from the previous year.
- Playing members of the two most recentWalker Cupteams.
- Playing members of the two most recent U.S.Eisenhower Trophyteams.
- Playing members of the current year's U.S. Men's Copa de las Américas team.
- Winner of the current year's individualNCAA Division I Championship.
- Winner of theBritish Amateur Championshipeach of the last five years.
- Top hundred golfers inWorld Amateur Golf Ranking.
- 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
[edit]
Multiple winners
[edit]Twelve players have won both the U.S. Amateur andU.S. OpenChampionships, 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 andBritish 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 andU.S. Junior Amateurthrough 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 andU.S. Amateur Public Linksin the same year:
- Ryan Moore:2004
- Colt Knost:2007
^ Won both in same year.Bobby Joneswon theGrand Slamin 1930, winning the U.S. Amateur,U.S. Open,British Amateur,andBritish Open.
Most times hosted
[edit]- 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
[edit]| Year | Edition | Course | Location | Dates | Previous championships hosted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 125th | Olympic Club | San Francisco, California | August 11–17 | 1958, 1981, 2007 |
| 2026 | 126th | Merion Golf Club | Ardmore, Pennsylvania | August 10–16 | 1916, 1924, 1930, 1966, 1989, 2005 |
| 2027 | 127th | Oak Hill Country Club | Pittsford, New York | August 9–15 | 1949, 1998 |
| 2028 | 128th | Whistling Straits | Kohler, Wisconsin | August 14–20 | |
| 2029 | 129th | Inverness Club | Toledo, Ohio | August 13–19 | 1973 |
| 2030 | 130th | Atlanta Athletic Club | Johns Creek, Georgia | August 12–18 | 2014 |
| 2031 | 131st | Honors Course | Ooltewah, Tennessee | August 11–17 | 1991 |
| 2032 | 132nd | Bandon Dunes Golf Resort | Bandon, Oregon | TBD | 2020 |
| 2033 | 133rd | Chambers Bay | University Place, Washington | TBD | 2010 |
| 2034 | 134th | The Country Club | Brookline, Massachusetts | TBD | 1910, 1922, 1934, 1957, 1982, 2013 |
| 2035 | 135th | Erin Hills | Erin, Wisconsin | TBD | 2011 |
| 2036 | 136th | Scioto Country Club | Upper Arlington, Ohio | TBD | 1968 |
| 2038 | 138th | Pinehurst Resort | Pinehurst, North Carolina | TBD | 1962, 2008, 2019 |
| 2041 | 141st | Bandon Dunes Golf Resort | Bandon, Oregon | TBD | 2020, 2032 |
| 2047 | 147th | Oakland Hills Country Club | Bloomfield Hills, Michigan | TBD | 2002, 2016 |
| 2051 | 151st | Saucon Valley Country Club | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | TBD | 1951 |
Exemptions
[edit]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'sU.S. Open(winner and runner-up) (winner is permitted to turn professional before the tournament)
- The following year'sMasters Tournament(winner and runner-up)
- The following year'sOpen Championship[5]
- The next 10 years of theAmateur Championship[6]
Here are the other exemptions:
- The following year'sMonroe Invitational(top 8 + top 20 stroke portion)[7]
- The following year'sNortheast Amateur(top 8)[8]
References
[edit]- ^"Changes Made to USGA Championship Roster"(Press release). United States Golf Association. February 11, 2013. Archived fromthe originalon February 13, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 11,2013.
- ^"2018 Results".laacgolf.RetrievedApril 4,2019.
- ^"Inverness Club Selected to Host 2029 U.S. Amateur".United States Golf Association.RetrievedNovember 18,2021.
- ^"2024 U.S. Amateur Fast Facts".United States Golf Association.
- ^"The Open - Exemptions".theopen.RetrievedJuly 20,2018.
- ^"The R&A - Conditions of Competition".randa.org.RetrievedJuly 20,2018.
- ^"Exemptions – Monroe Invitational".monroeinvitational.RetrievedJuly 20,2018.
- ^"Invitation Criteria".northeastamateur.RetrievedJuly 20,2018.
External links
[edit]- Official site- most of the information is in the archive sections