Amateur tournaments offer upcoming golfers crucial stepping stones to make a name for themselves and gain valuable experience to propel them to the global stage. Many national and regional amateur tournaments exist worldwide where local golfers compete for trophies and exposure. There are also prestigious global amateur events where the top talents from various countries face off at a high level, with the winners gaining entry to reputable championships like The Masters and even join the top pro tours like the PGA TOUR. Below, we take a look at some of the top amateur golf tournaments globally.
Top Ten Global Amateur Golf Tournaments
U.S. Amateur Championship
The U.S. Amateur began play in 1895, organized by the USGA and attracting top amateur golfers worldwide. The popular event requires golfers to have a handicap of 2.4 or below and consists of two days of stroke play, at which point the field is cut to 64 players, and then five days of knockout match play follow. The U.S. Amateur is a crucial stepping stone for any golfer, and famous players to lift the Havemeyer Trophy include Tiger Woods and Matthew Fitzpatrick.
U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship
The U.S. Women’s Amateur is the female counterpart to the U.S. Amateur Championship, and similarly began play in 1895, conducted by the USGA. Female participants face no age restriction and must have a handicap of 5.4 or less. The tournament directly impacted the start of competitive U.S. women’s golf, and famous players to win the Robert Cox Cup include Danielle Kang and Lydia Ko.
The Amateur Championship
Also known as the British Amateur, The Amateur Championship began play in 1885, conducted by the R&A. The event is open to male golfers of all ages with a handicap of 2.0 or less. The Amateur Championship occurs at some top U.K. courses and uses a similar stroke and match play combination format to determine the winner. Past champions include José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia.
The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
Although the Asia-Pacific Amateur only began play in 2009, hosted by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, it has already proven to be a force to reckon with on the amateur golf scene. The event attracts male golfers of all ages with a handicap of 5.4 or less and features 72 holes of stroke play. The champion gains exemptions into the following year’s British Open and Masters, and notable past winners include 2021 Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama.
The Western Amateur Championship
The Western Amateur is among the most interesting amateur tournaments, especially due to the last “Sweet Sixteen” match play round that produces some of the most compelling matchups. The event began play in 1899, hosted by the Western Golf Association, and requires male golfers to have a handicap of 3.0 or less. Notable past champions from the Western Amateur include Tiger Woods and his nemesis Phil Mickelson.