Saucon Valley to host U.S. Junior Amateur, featuring local talent and Tiger Woods’ son
Starting Monday, the best junior golfers in the world, including Charlie Woods and a pair of locals, will compete at Saucon Valley Country Club. The club last hosted the event in 1983.
Golf’s future stars are coming to Bethlehem, Pa., this week, competing for a chance to lift the Tiger Woods Trophy.
The 78th U.S. Junior Amateur returns to Saucon Valley Country Club in Lehigh Valley from Monday to Saturday, bringing together 264 of the best junior golfers in the world. The championship has launched careers for some of the game’s biggest names, including Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, and Scottie Scheffler.
This year’s field features Woods’ son, Charlie, defending champion Hamilton Coleman, and a pair of locals in Declan Conner, of Swarthmore, and Charlie Barrickman, of Kennett Square.
What is the U.S. Junior Amateur?
The U.S. Junior Amateur is the United States Golf Association’s national championship for male amateur golfers who have not reached their 19th birthday by the end of the championship. Players must also have a Handicap Index not exceeding 2.4 to be eligible.
This year, 3,681 players applied to play in the championship, and 18-hole stroke-play preliminary qualifying rounds were conducted across 42 sites nationwide to determine the field.
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The tournament began in 1948 and has produced some historic moments. Tiger Woods won the championship from 1991 to 1993, Spieth won in 2009 and 2011, and Nick Dunlap won in 2021, joining Woods as the only player to win both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur titles.
How does it work?
The championship begins with 264 players competing in two rounds of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday. One round will be played on Saucon Valley’s Old Course, and the other will take place on the Grace Course.
After 36 holes, the top 64 players will advance to match play on the Old Course. The round of 64 begins on Wednesday, followed by the round of 32 and round of 16 on Thursday. Players who advance to Friday will have to survive both the quarterfinals and semifinals before Saturday’s 36-hole championship match.
The championship features competitors from 30 countries and 39 states.
Local golfers will be competing
Swarthmore’s Conner will represent Delaware County after earning medalist honors at his qualifier, alongside Roger Rice, of Chatham, N.J., and Daniel Kim, of Franklin Lakes, N.J. The 17-year-old rising senior at Ridley High School shot a 2-under 70 at Saucon Valley’s Weyhill Course to qualify for his first USGA championship.
Conner is one of five Pennsylvania golfers in the field, joining Barrickman (Unionville High School), Dane Mohap (Nazareth), Nico Ward (Allegheny County), and Chase Yenser (Berks County).
“Being able to qualify for a national championship in my backyard is truly amazing,” Conner told the Golf Association of Philadelphia after qualifying at Saucon Valley’s Weyhill Course. “In doing so, I will be able to have support from my family and friends. I feel like I can compete, I just need to prepare the right way.”
Charlie Woods is back
Charlie Woods will make his third consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur appearance after qualifying in a playoff at Heathrow Country Club in Florida.
The Florida State pledge has become one of the most recognizable names in amateur golf, and will look to get his name on the trophy named after his father.
USGA Championships at Saucon Valley
This marks the second time Saucon Valley has hosted the U.S. Junior Amateur and its ninth USGA championship overall.
The club hosted the event in 1983 and welcomed championships including the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2022 U.S. Senior Open.
The Old Course will serve as the primary championship venue, and the Grace Course will cohost the stroke-play portion of the competition.
Renaming of the trophy
The USGA announced in February that the U.S. Junior Amateur trophy would be renamed and redesigned to honor Tiger Woods. The trophy is meant to recognize his competitive career and accomplished resumé in amateur golf.
Woods won three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur Championships and three consecutive U.S. Amateur Championships, feats that have not been repeated.
How To Watch?
Golf Channel will air Friday’s semifinal match from 4-6 p.m and Saturday’s final from 3-5 p.m.
The championship is free and open to spectators.
