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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 in the last week of August each year, over a 7 day period.
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 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. 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 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). In 1993, Woods got knocked out to Kingshill Golf Club's Paul Page 2&1 in the last 16, but 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 A. 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. However, the golfers must maintain their amateur status at the time the events are held (unless they qualify for the tournaments by other means).
As the Amateur Championship is dominated by future professionals, in 1981 a separate championship called the U.S. Mid-Amateur was established for "career amateurs" at least 25 years old. This gives the best players who never turn pro a chance to play against each other for a national title.
While most players at the U.S. Amateur advance through sectional qualifying, a few players are exempt each year.
In all cases the exemptions only apply if the player has not turned professional. From 2011, the top fifty golfers in World Amateur Golf Ranking will be exempt into the tournament.
Eighteen players have won more than one U.S. Amateur, through 2011:
Eleven players have won both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open Championships, through 2011:
Thirteen players have won both the U.S. Amateur and British Amateurs, through 2011:
Two players have won both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links in the same year, through 2011:
^ 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.
| Year | Edition | Course | City | State | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 112th | Cherry Hills Country Club | Cherry Hills Village | Colorado | August 13–19 |
| 2013 | 113th | The Country Club | Brookline | Massachusetts | August 12–18 |
| 2014 | 114th | Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands Course | Johns Creek | Georgia | August 11–17 |
| 2015 | 115th | Olympia Fields Country Club, North Course | Olympia Fields | Illinois | August 17–23 |
| 2016 | 116th | Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course | Bloomfield Township | Michigan | August 15–21 |
| 2017 | 117th | August 14–20 | |||
| 2018 | 118th | Pebble Beach Golf Links | Pebble Beach | California | August 13–19 |
Source[1]
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