U.S. Amateur Championship

The U.S. Amateur Championship is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organised by the United States Golf Association.

Related Topics:
United States - United States Golf Association

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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 St Andrew's Golf Club and was won by Laurence B. Stottard. This state of affairs promoted Charles B. Macdonald of the Chicago Golf Club to call for the creation of a national governing body to authorise 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 22 December of that year. In 1895 it organised both the first U.S. Amateur Championship and the first U.S. Open, both of which were played at Newport Country Club.

Related Topics:
Newport Country Club - Chicago Golf Club - United States Golf Association - U.S. Open

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There are no age restrictions on entry, but players must have a handicap index of 2.4 or less. It consists of two days of strokeplay, with the leading 64 competitors then playing a knockout competition held at matchplay 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 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. Open champions was higher.

Related Topics:
Handicap - Strokeplay - Matchplay - Tournament professional - World War II - U.S. Open

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Many of the leading figures in the history of golf have been U.S. Amateur Champion, including Bobby Jones five 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 Nathaniel Crosby (son of Bing). 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, and the runner-up also receives an invitation to play in the U.S. Open.

Related Topics:
Bobby Jones - Jack Nicklaus - Tiger Woods - 1994 - Nathaniel Crosby - Bing - Majors - PGA Championship

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As the Amateur Championship is dominated by future professionals, a separate championship called the U.S. Mid-Amateur was established for "career amateurs" at least 25 years old in 1981. This gives the best players who never turn pro a chance to play against each other for a national title.

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