One of the most prestigious prizes in golf is up for grabs this week as 312 players – all with a handicap of 0.4 or better – begin their quest to claim the US Amateur title and follow in the footsteps of men like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Charles B. MacDonald (the very first winner).
The World amateur No.1, 2, and 3 are all in action – Gordon Sargent, Jackson Koivun, and Luke Clanton – while 14-year-old Jaden Soong and 61-year-old Rusty Strawn will join them along with 15-year-old Miles Russell and John Daly II, son of the two-time Major champion.
Chaska Town Course in Minnesota hosts for the first two days of 18-hole stroke play before Hazeltine National Golf Club takes over down the stretch as match play rises to the fore.
The eventual champion may end up playing up to nine full rounds of golf across seven days – that’s 162 holes – but the rewards at the end, which do not include any kind of prize money, are certainly worth the toil.
Here is everything the US Amateur champion will receive in 2024.
The Havemeyer Trophy
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The US Amateur champion takes home the original Havemayer Trophy for the full year. The trophy was first presented to the USGA in March 1895 by its first president, Theodore A. Havemeyer.
The original trophy was silver and was handed to the winner every year until it was lost in a fire during 1925. Rather than trying to replicate the original, the USGA produced a stunning new gold-plated steeple cup which has been awarded annually since 1926.
A Gold Medal
2023 US Amateur Champion Nick Dunlap is presented with a gold medal
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A gold medal accompanies the trophy. It has the USGA’s logo on and is worn around the neck by red, white, and blue material.
Over the years, it has been donned by the likes of five-time winner Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, and Bryson DeChambeau. Last year’s champion was Nick Dunlap.
World Amateur Golf Ranking Points
2023 US Amateur runner-up with the Silver Cup at The Masters
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Historically, the winner has received just below 25 WAGR points for coming out on top at the US Amateur while the runner up has earned around 20. That bundle of points can make a serious difference to a player’s position in the WAGR.
Major Exemptions
The Augusta National…
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