 Jerry Pate with U.S. Amateur trophy, 1974 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | San Francisco, California (2025) |
| Established | 1895 |
| Course | Olympic Club (2025) |
| Par | 70 (2025) |
| Length | 7,214 yd (6,596 m) (2025) |
| Organized by | USGA |
| Format | Stroke play andmatch play |
| Month played | August |
| Current champion | |
 Mason Howell (2025) | |
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 Association and is currently held each August over a 7-day period.
In 1894, there were two tournaments called the "National Amateur Championship". One of them was played atNewport Country Club and was won by William G. Lawrence, and the other took place atSaint Andrew's Golf Club and was won by Laurence B. Stoddart. This state of affairs promptedCharles B. Macdonald of theChicago 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 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 ahandicap index of 0.4 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 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 atournament professional. BeforeWorld 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, includingBobby Jones five times,Jerome Travers four times,Jack Nicklaus twice andTiger 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 byRobert Gardner in 1909. In 2008, New ZealanderDanny Lee became the youngest ever winner, only to be eclipsed by 17-year-oldAn Byeong-hun the 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 theMasters and 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 winneronly 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 theU.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.
While most players at the U.S. Amateur advance through sectional qualifying, many players are exempt each year. Below are the exemptions:
In all cases, the exemptions only apply if the player has not turned professional as of the tournament date.
Twelve players have won both the U.S. Amateur andU.S. Open Championships, through 2024:
Thirteen players have won both the U.S. Amateur andBritish Amateurs, through 2024:
Two players have won both the U.S. Amateur andU.S. Junior Amateur through 2024:
Two players have won both the U.S. Amateur andU.S. Amateur Public Links in the same year:
^ Won both in same year.Bobby Jones won theGrand Slam in 1930, winning the U.S. Amateur,U.S. Open,British Amateur, andBritish Open.
Source[3]
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:
Here are the other exemptions:
