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.

U.S. Amateur
Jerry Pate with U.S. Amateur trophy, 1974
Tournament information
LocationChaska, Minnesota (2024)
Established1895
Course(s)Hazeltine National Golf Club (2024)
Par72 (2024)
Length7,599 yd (6,949 m) (2024)
Organized byUSGA
FormatStroke play and match play
Month playedAugust
Current champion
Spain José Luis Ballester

History

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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

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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 amateur who qualified for the current year's U.S. Open.
  6. Those amateurs 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

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Watts Gunn (left) with Bobby Jones (holding trophy) at the 1925 U.S. Amateur, which Jones won.
Year Winner Score Runner-up Primary course Stroke play co-host
2024   José Luis Ballester 2 up   Noah Kent Hazeltine National Golf Club Chaska Town Course
2023   Nick Dunlap 4 & 3   Neal Shipley Cherry Hills Country Club Colorado Golf Club
2022   Sam Bennett 1 up   Ben Carr Ridgewood Country Club Arcola Country Club
2021   James Piot 2 & 1   Austin Greaser Oakmont Country Club Longue Vue Club
2020   Tyler Strafaci 1 up   Ollie Osborne Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
(Bandon Dunes)
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
(Bandon Trails)
2019   Andy Ogletree 2 & 1   John Augenstein Pinehurst Resort (No. 2) Pinehurst Resort (No. 4)
2018   Viktor Hovland 6 & 5   Devon Bling Pebble Beach Golf Links Spyglass Hill Golf Course
2017   Doc Redman 37th hole   Doug Ghim Riviera Country Club Bel-Air Country Club
2016   Curtis Luck 6 & 4   Brad Dalke Oakland Hills Country Club
(South Course)
Oakland Hills Country Club
(North Course)
2015   Bryson DeChambeau 7 & 6   Derek Bard Olympia Fields Country Club
(North Course)
Olympia Fields Country Club
(South Course)
2014   Gunn Yang 2 & 1   Corey Conners Atlanta Athletic Club
(Highlands Course)
Atlanta Athletic Club
(Riverside Course)
2013   Matt Fitzpatrick 4 & 3   Oliver Goss The Country Club Charles River Country Club
2012   Steven Fox 37th hole   Michael Weaver Cherry Hills Country Club CommonGround Golf Course
2011   Kelly Kraft 2 up   Patrick Cantlay Erin Hills Blue Mound Golf & Country Club
2010   Peter Uihlein 4 & 2   David Chung Chambers Bay The Home Course
2009   An Byeong-hun 7 & 5   Ben Martin Southern Hills Country Club Cedar Ridge Country Club
2008   Danny Lee 5 & 4   Drew Kittleson Pinehurst Resort (No. 2) Pinehurst Resort (No. 4)
2007   Colt Knost 2 & 1   Michael Thompson Olympic Club (Lake Course) Olympic Club (Ocean Course)
2006   Richie Ramsay 4 & 2   John Kelly Hazeltine National Golf Club Chaska Town Course
2005   Edoardo Molinari 4 & 3   Dillon Dougherty Merion Golf Club Philadelphia Country Club
2004   Ryan Moore 2 up   Luke List Winged Foot Golf Club
(West Course)
Winged Foot Golf Club
(East Course)
2003   Nick Flanagan 37th hole   Casey Wittenberg Oakmont Country Club Pittsburgh Field Club
2002   Ricky Barnes 2 & 1   Hunter Mahan Oakland Hills Country Club
(South Course)
Oakland Hills Country Club
(North Course)
2001   Bubba Dickerson 1 up   Robert Hamilton East Lake Golf Club Druid Hills Golf Club
2000   Jeff Quinney 39th hole   James Driscoll Baltusrol Golf Club
(Upper Course)
Baltusrol Golf Club
(Lower Course)
1999   David Gossett 9 & 8   Kim Sung-yoon Pebble Beach Golf Links Spyglass Hill Golf Course
1998   Hank Kuehne 2 & 1   Tom McKnight Oak Hill Country Club
(East Course)
Oak Hill Country Club
(West Course)
1997   Matt Kuchar 2 & 1   Joel Kribel Cog Hill Golf & Country Club
(No. 4)
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club
(No. 2)
1996   Tiger Woods (3) 38th hole   Steve Scott Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
(Witch Hollow Course)
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club
(Ghost Creek Course)
1995   Tiger Woods (2) 2 up   Buddy Marucci Newport Country Club Wanumetonomy Golf and Country Club
1994   Tiger Woods 2 up   Trip Kuehne TPC at Sawgrass
(Stadium Course)
TPC at Sawgrass
(Valley Course)
1993   John Harris 5 & 3   Danny Ellis Champions Golf Club
(Cypress Creek Course)
Champions Golf Club
(Jackrabbit Course)
1992   Justin Leonard 8 & 7   Tom Scherrer Muirfield Village The Country Club at Muirfield Village
1991   Mitch Voges 7 & 6   Manny Zerman Honors Course Cleveland Country Club
1990   Phil Mickelson 5 & 4   Manny Zerman Cherry Hills Country Club Meridian Golf Club
1989   Chris Patton 3 & 1   Danny Green Merion Golf Club Waynesborough Country Club
1988   Eric Meeks 7 & 6   Danny Yates The Homestead
(Cascades Course)
The Homestead
(Lower Cascades Course)
1987   Billy Mayfair 4 & 3   Eric Rebmann Jupiter Hills Club
(Hills Course)
Jupiter Hills Club
(Village Course)
1986   Buddy Alexander 5 & 3   Chris Kite Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club Country Club of Birmingham
1985   Sam Randolph 1 up   Peter Persons Montclair Golf Club
(fourth and second nines)
Montclair Golf Club
(first and third nines)
1984   Scott Verplank 4 & 3   Sam Randolph Oak Tree Golf Club Oak Tree Country Club
1983   Jay Sigel (2) 8 & 7   Chris Perry North Shore Country Club Skokie Country Club
1982   Jay Sigel 8 & 7   David Tolley The Country Club Charles River Country Club
1981   Nathaniel Crosby 1 up   Brian Lindley Olympic Club (Lake Course) Olympic Club (Ocean Course)
1980   Hal Sutton 9 & 8   Bob Lewis The Country Club of North Carolina Pinehurst Resort (No. 2)
1979   Mark O'Meara 8 & 7   John Cook Canterbury Golf Club Shaker Heights Country Club
1978   John Cook 5 & 4   Scott Hoch Plainfield Country Club n/a
1977   John Fought 9 & 8   Doug Fischesser Aronimink Golf Club
1976   Bill Sander 8 & 6   Cary Parker Moore Jr. Bel-Air Country Club
1975   Fred Ridley 2 up   Keith Fergus Country Club of Virginia
1974   Jerry Pate 2 & 1   John Grace Ridgewood Country Club
1973   Craig Stadler 6 & 5   David Strawn Inverness Club
1965–1972: Stroke play
1972   Vinny Giles 285   Mark Hayes,
  Ben Crenshaw
Charlotte Country Club n/a
1971   Gary Cowan (2) 280   Eddie Pearce Wilmington Country Club
1970   Lanny Wadkins 279   Tom Kite Waverley Country Club
1969   Steve Melnyk 286   Vinny Giles Oakmont Country Club
1968   Bruce Fleisher 284   Vinny Giles Scioto Country Club
1967   Bob Dickson 285   Vinny Giles Broadmoor Golf Club
1966   Gary Cowan 285   Deane Beman Merion Golf Club
1965   Bob Murphy 291   Bob Dickson Southern Hills Country Club
1895–1964: Match play
1964   William C. Campbell 1 up   Ed Tutwiler Canterbury Golf Club n/a
1963   Deane Beman (2) 2 & 1   R. H. Sikes Wakonda Club
1962   Labron Harris Jr. 1 up   Downing Gray Pinehurst Resort
1961   Jack Nicklaus (2) 8 & 6   Dudley Wysong Pebble Beach Golf Links
1960   Deane Beman 6 & 4   Robert W. Gardner St. Louis Country Club
1959   Jack Nicklaus 1 up   Charles Coe Broadmoor Golf Club
1958   Charles Coe (2) 5 & 4   Tommy Aaron Olympic Club
1957   Hillman Robbins 5 & 4   Bud Taylor The Country Club
1956   Harvie Ward (2) 5 & 4   Chuck Kocsis Knollwood Club
1955   Harvie Ward 9 & 8   Bill Hyndman Country Club of Virginia
1954   Arnold Palmer 1 up   Robert Sweeny Jr. Country Club of Detroit
1953   Gene Littler 1 up   Dale Morey Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club
1952   Jack Westland 3 & 2   Al Mengert Seattle Golf Club
1951   Billy Maxwell 4 & 3   Joe Gagliardi Saucon Valley Country Club
1950   Sam Urzetta 39th hole   Frank Stranahan Minneapolis Golf Club
1949   Charles Coe 11 & 10   Rufus King Oak Hill Country Club
1948   Willie Turnesa (2) 2 & 1   Ray Billows Memphis Country Club
1947   Skee Riegel 2 & 1   Johnny Dawson Pebble Beach Golf Links
1946   Ted Bishop 37th hole   Smiley Quick Baltusrol Golf Club
1942–1945: No championships due to World War II
1941   Bud Ward (2) 4 & 3   Pat Abbott Omaha Field Club n/a
1940   Dick Chapman 11 & 9   Duff McCullough Winged Foot Golf Club
1939   Bud Ward 7 & 5   Ray Billows North Shore Country Club
1938   Willie Turnesa 8 & 7   Pat Abbott Oakmont Country Club
1937   Johnny Goodman 2 up   Ray Billows Alderwood Country Club
1936   Johnny Fischer 37th hole   Jack McLean Garden City Golf Club
1935   Lawson Little (2) 4 & 2   Walter Emery The Country Club
1934   Lawson Little 8 & 7   David Goldman The Country Club
1933   George Dunlap 6 & 5   Max Marston Kenwood Country Club
1932   Ross Somerville 2 & 1   Johnny Goodman Baltimore Country Club
1931   Francis Ouimet (2) 6 & 5   Jack Westland Beverly Country Club
1930   Bobby Jones (5) 8 & 7   Eugene V. Homans Merion Golf Club
1929   Jimmy Johnston 4 & 3   Oscar Willing Pebble Beach Golf Links
1928   Bobby Jones (4) 10 & 9   Philip Perkins Brae Burn Country Club
1927   Bobby Jones (3) 8 & 7   Chick Evans Minikahda Club
1926   George Von Elm 2 & 1   Bobby Jones Baltusrol Golf Club
1925   Bobby Jones (2) 8 & 7   Watts Gunn Oakmont Country Club
1924   Bobby Jones 9 & 8   George Von Elm Merion Golf Club
1923   Max Marston 38th hole   Jess Sweetser Flossmoor Country Club
1922   Jess Sweetser 3 & 2   Chick Evans The Country Club
1921   Jesse Guilford 7 & 6   Robert Gardner St. Louis Country Club
1920   Chick Evans (2) 7 & 6   Francis Ouimet Engineers Country Club
1919   Davidson Herron 5 & 4   Bobby Jones Oakmont Country Club
1917–1918: No championships due to World War I
1916   Chick Evans 4 & 3   Robert Gardner Merion Golf Club n/a
1915   Robert Gardner (2) 5 & 4   John G. Anderson Country Club of Detroit
1914   Francis Ouimet 6 & 5   Jerome Travers Ekwanok Country Club
1913   Jerome Travers (4) 5 & 4   John G. Anderson Garden City Golf Club
1912   Jerome Travers (3) 7 & 6   Chick Evans Chicago Golf Club
1911   Harold Hilton 37th hole   Fred Herreshoff The Apawamis Club
1910   William C. Fownes Jr. 4 & 3   Warren Wood The Country Club
1909   Robert Gardner 4 & 3   Chandler Egan Chicago Golf Club
1908   Jerome Travers (2) 8 & 7   Max H. Behr Garden City Golf Club
1907   Jerome Travers 6 & 5   Archibald Graham Euclid Club
1906   Eben Byers 2 up   George Lyon Englewood Golf Club
1905   Chandler Egan (2) 6 & 5   Daniel Sawyer Chicago Golf Club
1904   Chandler Egan 8 & 6   Fred Herreshoff Baltusrol Golf Club
1903   Walter Travis (3) 5 & 4   Eben Byers Nassau Country Club
1902   Louis N. James 4 & 2   Eben Byers Glen View Club
1901   Walter Travis (2) 5 & 4   Walter Egan Atlantic City Country Club
1900   Walter Travis 2 up   Findlay S. Douglas Garden City Golf Club
1899   Herbert M. Harriman 3 & 2   Findlay S. Douglas Onwentsia Club
1898   Findlay S. Douglas 5 & 3   Walter B. Smith Morris County Golf Club
1897   H. J. Whigham (2) 8 & 6   W. Rossiter Betts Chicago Golf Club
1896   H. J. Whigham 8 & 7   Joseph G. Thorp Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
1895   Charles B. Macdonald 12 & 11   Charles Sands Newport Country Club

Multiple winners

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

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

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:

^ 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

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Future sites

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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 August 9–15 2020
2033 133rd Chambers Bay University Place, Washington August 15–21 2010
2034 134th The Country Club Brookline, Massachusetts August 14–20 1910, 1922, 1934, 1957, 1982, 2013
2035 135th Erin Hills Erin, Wisconsin August 13–19 2011
2036 136th Scioto Country Club Upper Arlington, Ohio August 11–17 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

Source[3]

Exemptions

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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:

References

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  1. ^ "Changes Made to USGA Championship Roster" (Press release). United States Golf Association. February 11, 2013. Archived from the original on February 13, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  2. ^ "2018 Results". www.laacgolf.com. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  3. ^ "Future Sites: U.S. Amateur". USGA.
  4. ^ "The Open - Exemptions". www.theopen.com. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  5. ^ "The R&A - Conditions of Competition". www.randa.org. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  6. ^ "Exemptions – Monroe Invitational". www.monroeinvitational.com. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  7. ^ "Invitation Criteria". www.northeastamateur.com. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
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  • Official site - most of the information is in the archive sections