United States Golf Association
Encyclopedia
The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the United States
' national association of golf course
s, clubs and facilities and the governing body
of golf
for the U.S. and Mexico
. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf
. The USGA also provides a national handicap
system for golfers, conducts 13 national championships, including the U.S. Open
, U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Senior Open, and tests golf equipment for conformity with regulations. In addition, the USGA is a leader in turfgrass research through its Green Section and it provides hundreds of grants to grass-roots programs through its Foundation in Colorado Springs, Colorado
. The USGA Foundation has provided more than $60 million in grants to programs for underprivileged youth and individuals with disabilities. It is the largest contributor to The First Tee program. The USGA is currently led by Executive Director Mike Davis, and President Jim Hyler, and is headquartered
at Golf House in Far Hills, New Jersey
.
The Bob Jones Award
is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. The inaugural award was given in 1955.
and Saint Andrew's Golf Club, Yonkers, New York
, both declared the winners of their tournaments the "national amateur champion." That autumn, delegates from Newport, St. Andrew's, The Country Club
, Chicago Golf Club
, and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
met in New York City
to form a national governing body, which would administer the championship and also the Rules of Golf for the country. On December 22, 1894, the Amateur Golf Association of the United States was officially formed, and was shortly thereafter renamed the "United States Golf Association." Theodore Havemeyer
was the first president, and the U.S. Amateur trophy is named in his honor.
The first U.S. Amateur was held in 1895 at the Newport Country Club, with Charles B. Macdonald
(who was runner-up at both of the previous year's tournaments) winning the championship. The first U.S. Open
was held the following day, almost as an afterthought. It was not until 1898 that the two events were held at separate clubs. Today, the USGA administers 13 separate national championships; ten of which are expressly for amateurs.
The USGA gradually expanded its membership from the original five clubs. There were 267 club members in 1910, and 1,138 clubs by 1932. Membership fell off during the Great Depression
and World War II
, but recovered by 1947. By 1980 there were over 5,000 clubs, and today membership exceeds 9,700.
The USGA also conducts the U.S. Senior Open for competitors 50 and over. This is one of the five majors
recognized by the world's dominant tour for golfers 50 and over, the Champions Tour
. The overwhelming majority of the competitors play regularly on the Champions Tour. Many of the remaining players compete on the Champions Tour's European counterpart, the European Seniors Tour
, which recognizes the U.S. Senior Open as one of its three majors. Although a women's senior tour (with a lower age limit of 45 instead of 50), now known as the Legends Tour
, has existed since 2001, the USGA has not yet created a Senior Women's Open.
in the U.S. is mainly run by the PGA Tour
, the LPGA
, and the PGA of America. However, the USGA is at the heart of amateur golf in the country and organizes the 10 national amateur championships. The leading events are open to all age groups, but are usually won by golfers in their early twenties who are working towards a career in professional tournament golf:
There are two championships for players under age 18:
And two for senior golfers:
Because the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women's Amateur became increasingly dominated by future tournament professionals
, two national championships were added in the 1980s for "career amateurs" who were 25 years of age & older:
There are also two events for "public-course" golfers. Members of private golf clubs are excluded from these championships:
and a joint team representing Great Britain
and Ireland
(in political terms, the United Kingdom
and Republic of Ireland
):
Through its membership of the International Golf Federation
the USGA is involved in the administration of the two "World Amateur Team Championships", which are played biennially in even-numbered years.
Five people have won three different USGA individual events in their careers:
Thirty-seven other people have won two different USGA individual events in their careers:
Note: Multiple winners of individual events can be found in that event's article.
in 2009 to co-host the first annual Virtual USGA Championship online. The Virtual U.S. Open attracted hundreds of thousands of players from more than 180 countries. The first place winner took home a replica of the U.S. Open trophy and won a trip for two to Pebble Beach for the next year’s event.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' national association of golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s, clubs and facilities and the governing body
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
of golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
for the U.S. and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf
Rules of golf
The rules of golf are a standard set of regulations and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and administered by the R&A the governing body of golf worldwide except in the United States and Mexico, which are the responsibility of the United States Golf...
. The USGA also provides a national handicap
Golf handicap
A handicap is a numerical measure of an amateur golfer's playing ability based on the tees played for a given course. It is used to calculate a net score from the number of strokes actually played, thus allowing players of different proficiency to play against each other on somewhat equal terms...
system for golfers, conducts 13 national championships, including the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
, U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Senior Open, and tests golf equipment for conformity with regulations. In addition, the USGA is a leader in turfgrass research through its Green Section and it provides hundreds of grants to grass-roots programs through its Foundation in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. The USGA Foundation has provided more than $60 million in grants to programs for underprivileged youth and individuals with disabilities. It is the largest contributor to The First Tee program. The USGA is currently led by Executive Director Mike Davis, and President Jim Hyler, and is headquartered
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
at Golf House in Far Hills, New Jersey
Far Hills, New Jersey
Far Hills is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 919.Far Hills was incorporated as a borough based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on April 7, 1921, from portions of Bernards Township, subject to the results...
.
The Bob Jones Award
Bob Jones Award
The Bob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is named in honor of Bobby Jones.-Winners:*1955 Francis Ouimet*1956 William C. Campbell*1957 Babe Zaharias...
is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. The inaugural award was given in 1955.
History
The USGA was originally formed in 1894 to resolve the question of a national amateur championship. Earlier that year, the Newport Country ClubNewport Country Club
Newport Country Club, founded in 1893, is a historic private golf club in Newport, Rhode Island in the United States that hosted both the first U.S. Amateur Championship and the first U.S...
and Saint Andrew's Golf Club, Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, both declared the winners of their tournaments the "national amateur champion." That autumn, delegates from Newport, St. Andrew's, The Country Club
The Country Club
The Country Club, located in Brookline, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest country club in the United States. It holds an important place in golf history, as it is one of the five charter clubs that founded the United States Golf Association, and has hosted numerous USGA tournaments including the...
, Chicago Golf Club
Chicago Golf Club
Chicago Golf Club is a private golf club in Wheaton, Illinois in the United States. It is the oldest 18-hole course in North America and was one of the five clubs which founded the United States Golf Association in 1894. Its founder, Charles B. Macdonald, won the first official U.S...
, and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is a links-style golf club located in the hamlet of Shinnecock Hills in the town of Southampton on Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It has hosted the U.S. Open four times in three different centuries and will host the 2018 U.S. Open...
met in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to form a national governing body, which would administer the championship and also the Rules of Golf for the country. On December 22, 1894, the Amateur Golf Association of the United States was officially formed, and was shortly thereafter renamed the "United States Golf Association." Theodore Havemeyer
Theodore Havemeyer
Theodore Havemeyer was an American businessman who was the first president of the U.S. Golf Association and co-founder of the Newport Country Club, host to both the first U.S. Amateur and the first U.S. Open in 1895....
was the first president, and the U.S. Amateur trophy is named in his honor.
The first U.S. Amateur was held in 1895 at the Newport Country Club, with Charles B. Macdonald
Charles B. Macdonald
Charles Blair Macdonald was a major figure in early American golf. He built the first 18-hole course in the United States, was a driving force in the founding of the United States Golf Association, won the first U.S...
(who was runner-up at both of the previous year's tournaments) winning the championship. The first U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
was held the following day, almost as an afterthought. It was not until 1898 that the two events were held at separate clubs. Today, the USGA administers 13 separate national championships; ten of which are expressly for amateurs.
The USGA gradually expanded its membership from the original five clubs. There were 267 club members in 1910, and 1,138 clubs by 1932. Membership fell off during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but recovered by 1947. By 1980 there were over 5,000 clubs, and today membership exceeds 9,700.
Competitions organized by the USGA
The USGA organizes or co-organizes the following competitions:Open championships
An "open" golf championship is one which both professionals and amateurs may enter. In practice, such events are always won by professionals nowadays. The two leading opens in the U.S. are:- U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
- no age or gender restrictions, Handicap Index requirement of 1.4 or less. Established in 1895, it is one of the four professional major championshipsMen's major golf championshipsThe men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
. - U.S. Women's Open - females, no age restrictions, Handicap Index requirement of 4.4 or less. Established in 1946, administered by the USGA since 1953, one of the women's majorsWomen's major golf championshipsWomen's golf has a set of major championships which parallels that in men's golf, but the women's system is younger and has been less stable than the men's. Many professional stroke play events for women are played over three rounds , but the majors are played over four rounds , which is the...
.
The USGA also conducts the U.S. Senior Open for competitors 50 and over. This is one of the five majors
Senior major golf championships
Men's professional senior golf is for players aged 50 and above. Golf differs from all other sports in having lucrative competitions for this age group. The leading senior tour is the U.S. based Champions Tour, which was established in 1980 . It has established a roster of five major championships...
recognized by the world's dominant tour for golfers 50 and over, the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
. The overwhelming majority of the competitors play regularly on the Champions Tour. Many of the remaining players compete on the Champions Tour's European counterpart, the European Seniors Tour
European Seniors Tour
The European Seniors Tour is a professional tour for male golfers aged 50 and over run by the PGA European Tour.The Tour was founded in 1992. In 2008 it had a total prize fund of €7,729,284, so it is much further behind the U.S.-based Champions Tour in relative prize money than the main European...
, which recognizes the U.S. Senior Open as one of its three majors. Although a women's senior tour (with a lower age limit of 45 instead of 50), now known as the Legends Tour
Legends Tour
The Legends Tour, formerly known as the Women's Senior Golf Tour before the 2006 season, is a professional golf tour for women aged 45 and older. It is based in the United States, and is an offshoot of the main U.S. based women's tour, the LPGA Tour...
, has existed since 2001, the USGA has not yet created a Senior Women's Open.
- U.S. Senior Open - no gender restriction, players age 50 & older, handicap index requirement of 3.4 or less, established in 1980.
Individual amateur championships
Professional golfProfessional golf tours
Professional golf tours are the means by which otherwise unconnected professional golf tournaments are organised into a regular schedule. There are separate tours for men and women, with each tour being based in a specific geographical region, although some of their tournaments may be held in other...
in the U.S. is mainly run by the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, the LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
, and the PGA of America. However, the USGA is at the heart of amateur golf in the country and organizes the 10 national amateur championships. The leading events are open to all age groups, but are usually won by golfers in their early twenties who are working towards a career in professional tournament golf:
- U.S. Amateur - no age or gender restrictions, handicap index of 2.4 or less, established in 1895.
- U.S. Women's Amateur - no age restrictions, females with a handicap index of 5.4 or less, established in 1895.
There are two championships for players under age 18:
- U.S. Junior Amateur - no gender restriction, handicap index of 6.4 or less, established in 1948
- U.S. Girls' Junior - girls with a handicap index of 18.4 or less, established in 1949
And two for senior golfers:
- U.S. Senior Amateur - no gender restriction, players age 55 & older, handicap index of 7.4 or less, established in 1955
- U.S. Senior Women's Amateur - women age 50 & older with a handicap index of 18.4 or less, established in 1962
Because the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women's Amateur became increasingly dominated by future tournament professionals
Professional golf tours
Professional golf tours are the means by which otherwise unconnected professional golf tournaments are organised into a regular schedule. There are separate tours for men and women, with each tour being based in a specific geographical region, although some of their tournaments may be held in other...
, two national championships were added in the 1980s for "career amateurs" who were 25 years of age & older:
- U.S. Mid-Amateur - no gender restriction, players age 25 & older, handicap index of 3.4 or less, established in 1981
- U.S. Women's Mid-AmateurU.S. Women's Mid-AmateurThe U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur is one of thirteen United States Golf Association national championships. First played in 1987, it provides amateur women over the age of 25 an opportunity to compete for a national championship. Entrants must have a handicap index of 9.4 or lower.The major amateur...
- women age 25 & older with a handicap index of 9.4 or less, established in 1987
There are also two events for "public-course" golfers. Members of private golf clubs are excluded from these championships:
- U.S. Amateur Public LinksU.S. Amateur Public LinksThe U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, often referred to as the Public Links or the Publinx, is a men's amateur golf tournament, one of 10 individual amateur championships organized by the United States Golf Association. The USGA typically calls the event the U.S. Amateur Public Links, which...
– popularly known as the "Publinx"; no gender restriction, handicap index of 4.4 or less, established in 1922 - U.S. Women's Amateur Public LinksU.S. Women's Amateur Public LinksThe U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, often referred to as the Public Links or the Publinx, is a women's amateur golf tournament, one of 10 individual amateur championships organized by the USGA and first played in 1977. The USGA officially calls the event the U.S. Women's Amateur...
– popularly known as the "Women's Publinx"; women with a handicap index of 18.4 or less, established in 1977
State team championships
The USGA men's and women's state team championships were first conducted in 1995 as a part of the USGA's Centennial celebration. The two championships were conducted biennially in odd numbered years through 2009. Starting in 2010 the men's championship will be conducted in even numbered years and the women's championship in odd numbered years. According to NCAA rules, college golfers are not eligible.- USGA Men's State Team Championship
- USGA Women's State Team Championship
International team competitions
The USGA co-organizes two biennial amateur team competitions between the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and a joint team representing Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(in political terms, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
):
- Walker CupWalker CupThe Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
- 10-man male teams, played in odd-numbered years. The R&A is the co-organizer. - Curtis CupCurtis CupThe Curtis Cup is the best known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match . It is co-organised by the United States Golf Association and the Ladies Golf Union and is contested by teams representing the United States and "Great Britain and Ireland"...
- 8-woman teams, played in even-numbered years. The Ladies' Golf UnionLadies' Golf UnionThe Ladies' Golf Union is the governing body for women's and girls' amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland . It was founded in 1893 and is based in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, which is often known as the "Home of Golf"...
is the co-organizer.
Through its membership of the International Golf Federation
International Golf Federation
The International Golf Federation is an organisation which, despite its grand title, occupies only a small place in the structure of golf. The Federation changed its name from the "World Amateur Golf Council" in 2003...
the USGA is involved in the administration of the two "World Amateur Team Championships", which are played biennially in even-numbered years.
- Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
- for men - Espirito Santo TrophyEspirito Santo TrophyThe Espirito Santo Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for women organised by the International Golf Federation. The inaugural event was held in 1964 and recent tournaments have featured teams from around forty countries. It is a strokeplay event, in which the best two...
- for women
Multiple event winners
Only seven golfers have won more than one USGA individual event in the same year:- Chick EvansChick EvansCharles E. "Chick" Evans, Jr. was a leading amateur golfer of the 1910s and 1920s. Evans was the first amateur to win the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur in one year, a feat he achieved in 1916. Evans went on to win the U.S. Amateur in 1920, while finishing runner-up three times...
won the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur in 1916. He went on to win the U.S. Amateur in 1920. - Bobby JonesBobby Jones (golfer)Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
won the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur as half of his historic Grand SlamGrand Slam (golf)The Grand Slam in golf is winning all the golf's major championships in the same calendar year.-The Men's Grand Slam:The Grand Slam in men's golf is an unofficial concept, having changed over time. In the modern era, The Grand Slam is generally considered to be winning all four of golf's major...
in 1930. Jones had previously won three U.S. Opens (1923, 1926, 1929) and four U.S. Amateurs (1924, 1925, 1927, 1928). - Jay SigelJay SigelRobert Jay Sigel is an American professional golfer. He enjoyed one of the more illustrious careers in the history of U.S...
won the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur in 1983. He had won the U.S. Amateur in 1982, and would win the Mid-Am in 1985 and 1987. - Pearl SinnPearl SinnJi Young "Pearl" Sinn-Bonanni is a Korean-American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She played under he maiden name, Pearl Sinn until her marriage in 2002....
won the Women's Public Links and Women's Amateur in 1988. She successfully defended her Women's Publinx title in 1989. - Ryan Moore won the U.S. Public Links and U.S. Amateur in 2004. He had previously won the Publinx in 2002.
- Colt KnostColt KnostColt Knost is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.-Amateur career:Knost was born in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in Pilot Point, Texas. He was the Class 3A State Champion his senior year of 2003. He graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2007. While at SMU,...
won the U.S. Public Links and U.S. Amateur in 2007. - Jennifer SongJennifer SongJennifer Song is a professional golfer currently playing on the LPGA Tour. In 2009 she won both the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and the U.S. Women's Amateur...
won the Women's Public Links and Women's Amateur in 2009.
Five people have won three different USGA individual events in their careers:
- JoAnne CarnerJoAnne CarnerJoAnne Gunderson Carner is a former American professional golfer. Her 43 victories on the LPGA Tour led to her induction in the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is the only woman to have won the U.S. Girls' Junior, U.S. Women's Amateur, and U.S. Women's Open titles, and was the first person ever to...
(née Gunderson) – Girls' Jr - 1956; Women's Am - 1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968; Women's Open - 1971, 1976 - Arnold PalmerArnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
– Amat - 1954; Open - 1960; Sr Open - 1981 - Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
– Amat - 1959, 1961; Open - 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980; Sr Open - 1991, 1993 - Carol Semple ThompsonCarol SempleCarol Semple is an American amateur golfer.Semple was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. She is from a prominent golfing family; her father served as president of the United States Golf Association in 1974 and 1975. Her mother played competitive golf and served on various USGA committees for many...
– Women's Am - 1973; Women's Mid-Am - 1990, 1997; Sr Women's Am - 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 - Tiger WoodsTiger WoodsEldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
– Jr Amat - 1991, 1992, 1993; Amat - 1994, 1995, 1996; Open - 2000, 2002, 2008
Thirty-seven other people have won two different USGA individual events in their careers:
- Francis OuimetFrancis OuimetFrancis DeSales Ouimet was an American golfer, who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the 1913 U.S. Open, and was the first American elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews...
– Open - 1913; Amat - 1914, 1931 - Jerome TraversJerome TraversJerome Dunstan "Jerry" Travers was one of the leading amateur golfers of the early 20th century. He won the U.S. Amateur in 1907, 1908, 1912 and 1913, the New Jersey Amateur three times, and the Metropolitan Amateur five times. He was regarded as one of the finest match play golfers of his time...
– Amat - 1907, 1908, 1912, 1913; Open - 1915 - Johnny GoodmanJohnny GoodmanJohnny G. Goodman was the last amateur golfer to win the U.S. Open, doing so in 1933; he also won the U.S. Amateur in 1937....
– Open - 1933; Amat - 1937 - Lawson LittleLawson LittleWilliam Lawson Little, Jr. was an American professional golfer who also had a distinguished amateur career....
– Amat - 1934, 1935; Open - 1940 - Patty BergPatty BergPatricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer...
– Women's Am - 1938; Women's Open - 1946 - Betty JamesonBetty JamesonElizabeth May "Betty" Jameson was an American professional golfer and one of the founders of the LPGA.-Biography:...
– Women's Am - 1939, 1940; Women's Open - 1947 - Babe ZahariasBabe ZahariasMildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field...
– Women's Am - 1946; Women's Open - 1948, 1950, 1954 - Louise SuggsLouise SuggsMae Louise Suggs is a retired professional golfer, one of the founders of the LPGA Tour and thus modern ladies' golf.-Amateur career:Born in Atlanta, Suggs had a very successful amateur career, beginning as a teenager...
– Women's Am - 1947; Women's Open - 1949, 1952 - Mickey WrightMickey WrightMary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
– Girls' Jr - 1952; Women's Open - 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964 - Gene LittlerGene LittlerGene Alec Littler is an American professional golfer. Known for a solid temperament and nicknamed "Gene the Machine" for his smooth rhythmical swing, he once said that, "Golf is not a game of great shots. It's a game of the best misses. The people who win make the smallest mistakes."-Early years...
– Amat - 1953; Open - 1961 - Catherine LacosteCatherine LacosteCatherine Lacoste is a French amateur golfer. She won the 1967 U.S. Women's Open as a 22-year-old amateur, playing in just her third professional golf tournament...
– Women's Open - 1967; Women's Am - 1969 - Gene Andrews – Publinx - 1954; Sr Amat - 1970
- Johnny MillerJohnny MillerJohn Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf...
– Jr Amat - 1964; Open - 1973 - Jerry PateJerry PateJerome Kendrick "Jerry" Pate is an American golfer.Jerry Pate was born in Macon, Georgia. He attended the University of Alabama, where he played on the golf team. Pate had a distinguished amateur career. He won the U.S. Amateur in 1974, and the following year he was a member of victorious U.S....
– Amat - 1974; Open - 1976 - Dorothy Germain PorterDorothy Germain PorterDorothy Germain Porter is an American amateur golfer.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dorothy Germain began playing golf at 11. She graduated from Beaver College, where she played field hockey...
– Women's Am - 1949; Sr Women's Am - 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983 - Hollis StacyHollis StacyHollis Stacy is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974, winning four major championships and 18 LPGA Tour events. She was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2011 in the veterans category and will be inducted in May 2012.-Amateur career:Stacy...
– Girls' Jr - 1969, 1970, 1971; Women's Open - 1977, 1978, 1984 - William C. CampbellWilliam C. CampbellWilliam Cammack Campbell , often known as Bill Campbell or William C. Campbell, is an American amateur golfer and two-time President of the United States Golf Association . He was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1990.Campbell was born in Huntington, West Virginia. He served in the U.S...
– Amat - 1964; Sr Amat - 1979, 1980 - Lori Castillo – Girls' Jr - 1978; Women's Publinx - 1979, 1980
- Amy AlcottAmy AlcottAmy Alcott is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1975, and won five major championships and 29 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame....
– Girls' Jr - 1973; Women's Open - 1980 - Billy CasperBilly CasperWilliam Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...
– Open - 1959, 1966; Sr Open - 1983 - Heather FarrHeather FarrHeather Farr was an American professional golfer.Farr won three state championships at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona...
– Girls' Jr - 1982; Women's Publinx - 1984 - Marlene StreitMarlene StreitMarlene Stewart Streit, OC, O.Ont is a Canadian amateur golfer, and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.She was born in Cereal, Alberta. She learned golf from Gordon McInnis Sr. at the Lookout Point Golf Club in Fonthill, Ontario...
(née Stewart) – Women's Am - 1956; Sr Women's Am - 1985, 1994, 2003 - Billy MayfairBilly MayfairWilliam Fred Mayfair is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour .-Early years and amateur career:Mayfair was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Before his fifteenth birthday, he had won a number of junior golf tournaments. In 1981, he was on the cover of Boys' Life magazine as "golf's...
– Publinx - 1986; Amat - 1987 - Gary PlayerGary PlayerGary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six...
– Open - 1965; Sr Open - 1987, 1988 - Anne QuastAnne QuastAnne Quast is an American golfer. She won the U.S. Women's Amateur three times and was runner-up three times . She was married several times and played as Anne Decker, Anne Welts, and Anne Sander.-Career:Quast was born in Everett, Washington...
(aka Decker, Welts, Sander) – Women's Am - 1958, 1961, 1963; Sr Women's Am - 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993 - Orville MoodyOrville MoodyOrville James Moody was an American professional golfer who won numerous tournaments in his career. He won the 1969 U.S. Open, the last champion in the 20th century to win through local and sectional qualifying....
– Open - 1969; Sr Open - 1989 - Pat HurstPat HurstPat Hurst is an American professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.Hurst's father is American and her mother is originally from Japan. She was born in San Leandro, California and raised in California.-Amateur career:...
– Girls' Jr - 1986; Women's Am - 1990 - Lee TrevinoLee TrevinoLee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
– Open - 1968, 1971; Sr Open - 1990 - Amy FruhwirthAmy FruhwirthAmy Fruhwirth is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Fruhwirth was born in Cypress, California. She played college golf at Arizona State University where she was a three-time All-American. In her amateur career, she won the 1991 California Women's Amateur and U.S. Women's...
– Women's Am - 1991; Women's Publinx - 1992 - Jill McGillJill McGillJill McGill is an American professional golfer on the LPGA Tour.McGill was born in Denver, Colorado. She played college golf at the University of Southern California and won the U.S. Women's Amateur title in 1993 and the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links in 1994. She played on the 1994 Curtis Cup...
– Women's Am - 1993; Women's Publinx - 1994 - Kelli KuehneKelli Kuehne-Amateur career:Kuehne was born in Dallas, Texas. In 1994 she won the U.S. Girls' Junior. The following year she won the U.S. Women's Amateur and in 1996 repeated as the U.S. Women's Amateur champion while also winning the British Ladies Amateur. She played college golf at the University of Texas...
– Girls' Jr - 1994; Women's Am - 1995, 1996 - Dorothy DelasinDorothy DelasinDorothy Delasin is a Filipino-American professional golfer on the LPGA Tour.Delasin was born in Lubbock, Texas and grew up in San Francisco, California. She had dual American and Filipino citizenship but gave it up sometime before 1999. She had a strong amateur career, wining both the U.S. Girls'...
– - Girls' Jr - 1996; Women's Am - 1998 - Hale IrwinHale IrwinHale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was...
– Open - 1974, 1979, 1990; Sr Open - 1998, 2000 - Juli InksterJuli InksterJuli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings...
– Women's Am - 1980, 1981, 1982; Women's Open - 1999, 2002 - Bruce FleisherBruce Fleisher-Early years and amateur career:Fleisher was born in Union City, Tennessee. He became involved in golf at age 7 by working as a caddie with his two brothers. Fleisher attended Miami-Dade Junior College and Furman University. In 1968 at age 19, he became the third youngest player to win the U.S....
– Amat - 1968; Sr Open - 2001 - Inbee ParkInbee ParkInbee Park, also known as In-Bee Park, is a South Korean professional golfer.-Early life and amateur career:Park was born in Seoul. She began playing golf at the age of 10. After moving to the United States, she won nine events on the American Junior Golf Association circuit and was a five-time...
– Girls' Jr - 2002; Women's Open - 2008 - Vinny GilesVinny GilesMarvin M. "Vinny" Giles III is an American amateur golfer. He his best known for winning both the U.S. Amateur and the British Amateur....
– Amat - 1972, Sr Amat - 2009
Note: Multiple winners of individual events can be found in that event's article.
Most career USGA championships won
- Bobby JonesBobby Jones (golfer)Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
: 9 – Open - 1923, 1926, 1929, 1930; Amat - 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930 - Tiger WoodsTiger WoodsEldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
: 9 – Jr Amat - 1991, 1992, 1993; Amat - 1994, 1995, 1996; Open - 2000, 2002, 2008 - JoAnne CarnerJoAnne CarnerJoAnne Gunderson Carner is a former American professional golfer. Her 43 victories on the LPGA Tour led to her induction in the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is the only woman to have won the U.S. Girls' Junior, U.S. Women's Amateur, and U.S. Women's Open titles, and was the first person ever to...
: 8 – Girls' Jr - 1956; Women's Am - 1957, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968; Women's Op - 1971, 1976 - Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
: 8 – Amat - 1959, 1961; Open - 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980; Sr Open - 1991, 1993 - Anne QuastAnne QuastAnne Quast is an American golfer. She won the U.S. Women's Amateur three times and was runner-up three times . She was married several times and played as Anne Decker, Anne Welts, and Anne Sander.-Career:Quast was born in Everett, Washington...
(aka Decker, Welts, Sander): 7 – Women's Am - 1958, 1961, 1963; Sr Women's Am - 1987, 1990, 1992, 1993 - Carol Semple Thompson: 7 – Women's Am - 1973; Women's Mid-Am - 1990, 1997; Sr Women's Am - 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
- Glenna Collett (Vare): 6 – Women's Am - 1922, 1925, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1935
- Hollis StacyHollis StacyHollis Stacy is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1974, winning four major championships and 18 LPGA Tour events. She was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2011 in the veterans category and will be inducted in May 2012.-Amateur career:Stacy...
: 6 – Girls' Jr - 1969, 1970, 1971; Women's Open - 1977, 1978, 1984 - Jerome TraversJerome TraversJerome Dunstan "Jerry" Travers was one of the leading amateur golfers of the early 20th century. He won the U.S. Amateur in 1907, 1908, 1912 and 1913, the New Jersey Amateur three times, and the Metropolitan Amateur five times. He was regarded as one of the finest match play golfers of his time...
: 5 – Amat - 1907, 1908, 1912, 1913; Open - 1915 - Mickey WrightMickey WrightMary Kathryn "Mickey" Wright is an American professional golfer. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
: 5 – Girls' Jr - 1952; Women's Op - 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964 - Carolyn CudoneCarolyn CudoneCarolyn Cassidy Cudone was an American amateur golfer.Raised in Staten Island, New York, her mother played golf and encouraged Cudone to play the game. Her amateur golfing career was successful but she is best known for her performance as a seniors' golfer.Sometimes recorded as Mrs. Philip J...
: 5 – Sr Women's Am - 1968-1972 - Dorothy Germain PorterDorothy Germain PorterDorothy Germain Porter is an American amateur golfer.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dorothy Germain began playing golf at 11. She graduated from Beaver College, where she played field hockey...
: 5 – Women's Am - 1949; Sr. Women's Am - 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983 - Jay SigelJay SigelRobert Jay Sigel is an American professional golfer. He enjoyed one of the more illustrious careers in the history of U.S...
: 5 – Amat - 1982, 1983; Mid-Am - 1983, 1985, 1987 - Hale IrwinHale IrwinHale S. Irwin is an American professional golfer. He is one of the few players in history to have won three U.S. Opens and was one of the world's leading golfers for much of the 1970s and 1980s. He has also developed a career as a golf course architect.Irwin was born in Joplin, Missouri, but was...
: 5 – Open - 1974, 1979, 1990; Sr Open 1998, 2000 - Juli InksterJuli InksterJuli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings...
: 5 – Women's Am - 1980, 1981, 1982; Women's Open - 1999, 2002
Virtual USGA Championship
The USGA partnered with World Golf TourWorld Golf Tour
World Golf Tour ' is an online multiplayer virtual golf game. WGT is played virtually on actual golf courses from around the world, using a patented 3D photorealistic georeferencing technology....
in 2009 to co-host the first annual Virtual USGA Championship online. The Virtual U.S. Open attracted hundreds of thousands of players from more than 180 countries. The first place winner took home a replica of the U.S. Open trophy and won a trip for two to Pebble Beach for the next year’s event.