2008 U.S. Amateur
Playing in the U.S. Amateur Championship
The U.S. Amateur, the oldest USGA championship, was first played in 1895 at Newport Golf Club in Rhode Island. The event, which has no age restriction, is open to those with a Handicap Index of 2.4 or lower. It is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
Since its inception, the world's greatest golfers have competed in this most honored American golf tradition. Among its many champions are the legends of the game itself - from Walter Travis to Francis Ouimet, Bobby Jones to Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods.
The champion receives a gold medal, a replica of the Havemeyer Trophy, and various exemptions for other USGA championships, as well as the British Open and an invitation to compete in the next Masters Championship (if still an amateur).
How to Qualify
The USGA holds a series of sectional qualifiers each July, consisting of a 36-hole stroke play event. There are several exemptions from sectional qualifying, including:
- U.S. Amateur champions from the past 10 years, as well as runners up from the last 3 years, semifinalists from the last 2 years and quarterfinalists in the same year
- announced members of the Walker Cup teams and World Amateur teams,
- champions and runners up from the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Amateur Public Links, U.S. Junior
- British Amateur champions from the last five years
- Winner of the NCAA Div. 1 men's golf championship
- USGA Senior Amateur finalists
- Any amateur who qualifies for the U.S. Open Championship in the same year.
All players must register with the USGA before 5 pm on Wednesday, July 2, 2008. Information on qualifying sites will be sent to you via the USGA. See usga.org for more information.
To register online at USGA.org click here.
To download a PDF of the application with listings of national qualifying sites, click here.
To find out more on how to play in the U.S. Amateur or any USGA championship, please click here.