USGA Announces U.S. Junior Amateur Field Increase in 2020 to Provide More Player Opportunities
264 Juniors Will Compete for 2020 Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (Oct. 3, 2018) – Aligning with ongoing initiatives to expand its support of junior
golf, the United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that the field size for the U.S. Junior
Amateur Championship will increase from 156 players to 264, beginning with the 2020 championship at
Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. (July 20-25). Chaska Town Course will serve as the stroke
play co-host course, as it did for the 2006 U.S. Amateur Championship at Hazeltine National.
“Increasing the U.S. Junior Amateur field to 264 players gives an additional 108 deserving junior golfers
an opportunity to compete in the preeminent championship in junior golf,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA
senior managing director for Championships. “The larger field will allow for an expansion of exemptions
that will ensure deserving players from around the world will have the chance to compete for the U.S.
Junior Amateur Championship Trophy and a spot in the U.S. Open.”
In 2017, USGA announced several significant enhancements to the U.S. Junior Amateur. The maximum
age for USGA junior championships was raised from 17 to 18, the field size was increased from 156
beginning in 2020, and a U.S. Open exemption was awarded to the champion. Noah Goodwin, the 2017
Junior Amateur champion, played in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
“As we do with all our championships, we annually evaluate and refine the conduct of our competitions.
Any strategic changes come from that work, which includes valuable input from players, coaches and
Allied Golf Associations,” said Greg Sanfilippo, director of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. “We
look forward to welcoming more players to the championship venue and providing them with a world-
class experience.”
The U.S. Junior Amateur was first played in 1948. The championship is open to amateurs who have not
reached their 19th birthday by the conclusion of the championship and who have a Handicap Index® not
exceeding 4.4. Tiger Woods (three times), Jordan Spieth (twice), Johnny Miller, David Duval and Hunter
Mahan are among the notable U.S. Junior Amateur champions. The USGA accepted 3,693 entries for the
2018 U.S. Junior Amateur at Baltusrol Golf Club, won by Michael Thorbjornsen.
The 72nd U.S. Junior Amateur will be contested July 15-20, 2019, at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. The
2021 U.S. Junior Amateur will be conducted at the Country Club of North Carolina. The Dogwood Course
will serve as the primary course and the club’s Cardinal Course will serve as the stroke play co-host.
About the USGA
The USGA celebrates, serves and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, we conduct many of
golf’s premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s
Open. With The R&A, we govern the sport via a global set of playing, equipment and amateur status
rules. Our operating jurisdiction for these governance functions is the United States, its territories and
Mexico. The USGA Handicap System is utilized in more than 40 countries and our Course Rating System
covers 95 percent of the world’s golf courses, enabling all golfers to play on an equitable basis. The
USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association’s Research and Test Center,
where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is
also home to the USGA Golf Museum, where we honor the game by curating the world’s most
comprehensive archive of golf artifacts. To learn more, visit usga.org.
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