When you think of prestigious golf championships, you probably picture a huge winner’s check. But for the 312 players competing in the 2024 U.S. Amateur Championship, the motivation is different. They are not driven by salary, but by something far more lasting: the pride and glory that comes with winning one of the oldest and most prestigious titles in golf.
The winner of the 2024 U.S. Amateur Championship will not pocket a single dollar for that victory. In a society where athletes compete for millions of dollars, that may seem quite odd. However, amateur golf is tradition-driven and the goal is to achieve high scores, be a sportsman and achieve personal success. The lack of prize money is not a weakness, but an advantage. That’s why the U.S. Amateur Championship is all about skill, determination and love of the game.
What the champion will take home, however, is something money can’t buy – the Havemeyer Trophy. This trophy is gold-plated and has been associated with amateur golf champions since 1926. They will have a trophy that was once in the hands of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones, and many other great golfers know that their name will go down in golf history. In addition, the winner also receives a gold medal. But that’s not all.
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The 2024 winner will also receive an exemption for three of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world: the US Open 2025 at the Oakmont Country Club, the Open Championship 2025 in Royal Portrush and the Masters Tournament 2025 at Augusta National. Bryson DeChambeau knows that feeling very well. After his triumph at the 2015 US Amateurs, he turned his victory into a professional career that made him one of the PGA Tour’s most important champions. The 2024 champion could be the next to follow that path. The winner could also bring in sponsorship and funding.
What do you think is the most exciting advantage for the winner of the U.S. Amateur Championship?
Special permit for the US Open
Invitation to the Masters
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Are you planning to take part in the BMW Championship 2024?
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Who do you think is most to blame for the Nick Dunlap controversy?
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What impresses you most about Noah Kent?
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Is the path to glory at the US Amateur only for the winner?
The U.S. Amateur Championship brings other benefits. Second place is not ignored, the runner-up receives a silver medal and the same privileges as the winner, but only if he or she remains an amateur. Semifinalists receive bronze medals, while the medalist in stroke play also receives a silver medal.
The US Amateur Championship is much more than the highest level of amateur golf, it is a springboard for young talent. Legends who have used the US Amateur Championship as a platform for the professional circuit include Arnold Palmer And Phil Mickelson among other things.
The final of the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship begins at 7:15 a.m. CDT (1:15 p.m. BST) at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota, with Ballester the clear favorite. Who will be the next U.S. Amateur champion – 19-year-old Noah Kent or the 21-year-old Jose Luis Ballester? Comment below!
