USGA Junior Amateur returns to Pennsylvania for 2026 championship
The 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur begins Monday at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, featuring 264 competitors from 30 countries and 39 U.S. states in the premier junior boys’ golf tournament.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) is set to host the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, commencing on Monday, July 20. This marks the second time the venue has staged the event and the fourth time the tournament has been held in the state. A field of 264 golfers will compete, with stroke play scheduled for the Grace Course on July 20 and 21, before the competition moves to the Old Course for match play.
The tournament features a diverse international presence, with 30 competitors representing 30 countries alongside participants from 39 U.S. states. The field includes 180 players from the United States, 11 from Canada, and smaller contingents from nations such as China, Colombia, and Thailand. The age range of the competitors spans from 13 to 18 years old, with 13-year-old Riku Takase from Japan identified as the youngest participant and 18-year-old Eli Weidmann from California as the oldest.
Miles Russell of the United States is the highest-ranked player in the field, holding World Amateur Golf Ranking No. 7 as of July 15. The competition also includes two previous USGA champions: Hamilton Coleman, the 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur winner, and Tyler Mawhinney, the 2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball winner. The average age of the field is recorded at 16.94 years.
The winner of the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur will receive the U.S. Junior Amateur Trophy, which they may keep for one year, and have their name engraved on a plaque in the USGA Museum in Liberty Corner, New Jersey. Additional incentives include exemption from future U.S. Junior qualifying, entry into the 2026 and 2027 U.S. Amateur Championships, and entry into the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, provided the winner remains an amateur.
Admission to the tournament is free for spectators. The USGA has also confirmed future host venues through 2045, including Chambers Bay in Washington for 2027, Woodmont Country Club in Maryland for 2028, and Sand Valley Resort in Wisconsin for 2029.
