Everything to know about the 2026 U.S. Amateur at Merion

It’s time for the greatest amateur championship in the world.

The 2026 U.S. Amateur begins Monday at Merion in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. The field of 312 players will fight it out at Merion and stroke play co-host Philadelphia Country Club to be one of 64 contestants to make match play. From there, it’s a battle for the Havemeyer Trophy.

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Last year, Mason Howell beat Jackson Herrington at Olympic Club in San Francisco to become the third-youngest winner in U.S. Amateur history.

Here’s everything you need to know for the 2026 U.S. Amateur:

Merion yardage book

• Hole 1: 358 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 2: 588 yards (Par 5)

• Hole 3: 219 yards (Par 3)

• Hole 4: 618 yards (Par 5)

• Hole 5: 505 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 6: 480 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 7: 363 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 8: 356 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 9: 231 yards (Par 3)

OUT: 3,718 yards (Par 36)

• Hole 10: 303 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 11: 361 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 12: 399 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 13: 119 yards (Par 3)

• Hole 14: 448 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 15: 419 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 16: 426 yards (Par 4)

• Hole 17: 246 yards (Par 3)

• Hole 18: 501 yards (Par 4)

IN: 3,222 yards (Par 34)

TOTAL: 6,939 yards (Par 70)

Where to watch U.S. Amateur 2026, TV information

Wednesday, Aug. 12

• Round of 64: Peacock/NBCSN, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 13

• Round of 16: Peacock/NBCSN, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 14

• Quarterfinals: Peacock/NBCSN, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 15

• Semifinals: NBC, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 16

• Championship Match (Afternoon 18), Peacock, 3 p.m.-4 p.m.

• Championship Match (Afternoon 18): NBC/Peacock, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

Watch the U.S. Amateur on Peacock

U.S. Amateur field facts

Oldest competitor: Mike McCoy (63)

Youngest competitors: Landon Tudor (15), Bento Assis (15), Louis Klein (16), Chase Hughes (16), Kaden Leivian (16)

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Average age: 22.85

U.S. states represented (45): California (34), Texas (24), Florida (16), Georgia (12), Pennsylvania (10), North Carolina (9), Alabama (8), Virginia (8), Michigan (7), Ohio (6), Arizona (5), Illinois (5), Louisiana (5), Massachusetts (5), Minnesota (5), South Carolina (5), Utah (5), Idaho (4), Indiana (4), Kentucky (4), Missouri (4), New York (4), Oklahoma (4), Iowa (3), Maryland (3), Mississippi (3), Nevada (3), Oregon (3), Washington (3), Arkansas (2), Colorado (2), Connecticut (2), Maine (2), New Jersey (2), Tennessee (2), West Virginia (2), Hawaii (1), Kansas (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (1), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (1), North Dakota (1), South Dakota (1), Vermont (1)

International (36): U.S. (233), England (7), Canada (6), Germany (4), Mexico (4), Sweden (4), Argentina (3), France (3), China (3), South Africa (3), Thailand (3), Australia (2), Bolivia (2), Brazil (2), Chinese Taipei (2), Czechia (2), Finland (2), Guatemala (2), Ireland (2), Italy (2), New Zealand (2), Korea (2), Scotland (2), Spain (2), Wales (2), Colombia (1), Hong Kong, China (1), Iceland (1), Japan (1), Morocco (1), Netherlands (1), Northern Ireland (1), Paraguay (1), Puerto Rico (1), Singapore (1), Vietnam (1)USGA champions (12): Lawrence Allan (2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball), Evan Beck (2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Grady Brame Jr. (2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball), Hamilton Coleman (2025 U.S. Junior Amateur), Stewart Hagestad (2016, 2021, 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Brandon Holtz (2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Mason Howell (2025 U.S. Amateur), Bryan Kim (2023 U.S. Junior Amateur), Noah Maclauchlan (2026 U.S. Junior Amateur), Tyler Mawhinney (2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball), Matthew McClean (2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Michael McCoy (2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur)USGA runners-Up (13): Anh Minh Nguyen (2025 U.S. Junior Amateur), Joshua Bai (2023 U.S. Junior Amateur), Evan Beck (2008 U.S. Junior Amateur, 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball), Jackson Herrington (2024 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, 2025 U.S. Amateur), Noah Kent (2024 U.S. Amateur), Bobby Massa (2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Miles Russell (2026 U.S. Junior Amateur), Greg Sanders (2025 U.S. Senior Amateur), Tyler Watts (2024 U.S. Junior Amateur)

Players in field with most U.S. Amateur appearances (2026 included) – Michael McCoy (21), Stewart Hagestad (17), Evan Beck (7)

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Players in field who competed in 2005 U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club (1): Michael McCoy (MC)The field features 47 of the Top 50 in the Men’s World Amateur Golf Ranking as of Aug. 5 (Top 20 listed):

• No. 6 – William Jennings

• No. 10 – Tim Wiedemeyer

• No. 12 – Arni Sveinsson

• No. 13 – Daniel Bennett

• No. 17 – Jacob Modleski

• No. 18 – Niall Sheils Donegan

• No. 20 – Zackary Swanwick

What winner of U.S. Amateur receives

• Custody of the Havemeyer Trophy for one year

• Exemption from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Amateurs

• Exemption into 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links

• Exemption into 2027 Open Championship, conducted by The R&A, on the Old Course at St. Andrews (must be an amateur)

• Likely invitation into 2027 Masters Tournament (must be an amateur)

• Name engraved into 2026 USGA Champions’ plaque that resides in the USGA Museum’s Hall of Champions in Liberty Corner, New Jersey

What is the format at the U.S. Amateur?

• Monday, Aug. 10 (18 holes, stroke play)

• Tuesday, Aug. 11 (18 holes, stroke play)

• Wednesday, Aug. 12 (Round of 64, match play)

• Thursday, Aug. 13 (Round of 32/16 matches)

• Friday, Aug. 14 (Quarterfinal matches)

• Saturday, Aug. 15 (Semifinal matches)

• Sunday, Aug. 16 (36-hole championship match)

U.S. Amateur tickets

Tickets must be purchased to attend.

U.S. Amateur future sites

• 2027: Oak Hill Country Club, Pittsford, N.Y. (Aug. 9-15)

• 2028: Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wis. (Aug. 14-20)

• 2029: Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio (Aug. 13-19)

• 2030: Atlanta Athletic Club, Johns Creek, Ga. (Aug. 12-18)

• 2031: The Honors Course, Ooltewah, Tenn. (Aug. 11-17)

• 2032: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Ore. (Aug. 9-15)

• 2033: Chambers Bay, University Place, Wash. (Aug. 15-21)

• 2034: The Country Club, Brookline, Mass. (Aug. 14-20)

• 2035: Erin Hills, Erin, Wis. (Aug. 13-19)

• 2036: Scioto Country Club. Columbus, Ohio (Aug. 11-17)

• 2038: Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (Course No. 2), Village of Pinehurst, N.C. (Dates TBD)

• 2039: Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, N.J. (Dates TBD)

• 2041: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Ore. (Dates TBD)

• 2042: The Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, N.J. (Dates TBD)

• 2047: Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Dates TBD)

• 2051: Saucon Valley Country Club, Bethlehem, Pa. (Dates TBD)

Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Everything to know about the 2026 U.S. Amateur at Merion