US Junior T202, T251, 256, T258 all exempt

[golferdad8]

1 hour ago, Tugu said:

Yes

It’s easier to go from California to a smaller state, if allowed - many have done it. 

[BallsBreakFast]

1 hour ago, golferdad8 said:

It’s easier to go from California to a smaller state, if allowed - many have done it. 

Probably also easier for a US-based kid to go play in some obscure event in the middle-east or Asia for WAGR points, then for non-US-based kids to play in an AJGA event for JGS or AJGA rankings. (subject to time and budget)

😂

[golferdad8]

3 minutes ago, BallsBreakFast said:

Probably also easier for a US-based kid to go play in some obscure event in the middle-east or Asia for WAGR points, then for non-US-based kids to play in an AJGA event for JGS or AJGA rankings. (subject to time and budget)

😂

 

Not to bash HK, but since someone brought up Jordan earlier.

 

Based on US Junior and the kids representing HK, it seems to be the opposite.

Look at how many got into this event?
Also, when's the last time you saw a top HK player win an invitational and become a top college golfer?  

 

https://championships.usga.org/usjunioramateur/2025/scoring.html

[golfdad1]

6 hours ago, kcap said:

I agree. This should be a 2 round/stage qualifying.  That is my biggest frustration with this tournament.  A two round qualifying would make this field so much stronger and not top heavy. 

Ya, we've had so many local kids get through at a short, easy course and are nowhere near prepared for the length or difficulty of a US Junior course.

[BallsBreakFast]

2 hours ago, golferdad8 said:

 

....Also, when's the last time you saw a top HK player win an invitational and become a top college golfer?  

 

https://championships.usga.org/usjunioramateur/2025/scoring.html

How about winning gold at Asia Games holding off PGA pros SungJae Im and SiWoo Kim? Not a college event though...
https://www.asiantour.com/blog/unstoppable-taicho-kho-takes-gold-medal-at-19th-asian-games?id=undefined%3Fseason%3D2024

Also booked a win on Asia Tour and was runner up at APAC losing playoff to Keita Nakajima who was #1 ranked am at time.

Also barely missed getting a LIV spot in the qualifier 
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/sports-news/article/68622/Kho-misses-out-on-LIV-Golf-spot-as-Taiwanese-wins-promotions-event

[BallsBreakFast]

3 hours ago, golferdad8 said:

 

Not to bash HK, but since someone brought up Jordan earlier.

 

Based on US Junior and the kids representing HK, it seems to be the opposite.

Look at how many got into this event?
Also, when's the last time you saw a top HK player win an invitational and become a top college golfer?  

 

https://championships.usga.org/usjunioramateur/2025/scoring.html

On the girls side two of top-5 in stroke play from Hong Kong though exited first round of match play. Will have to see how they do in college as they incoming freshmen...

 

[leezer99]

3 hours ago, golferdad8 said:

 

Not to bash HK, but since someone brought up Jordan earlier.

 

Based on US Junior and the kids representing HK, it seems to be the opposite.

Look at how many got into this event?
Also, when's the last time you saw a top HK player win an invitational and become a top college golfer?  

 

https://championships.usga.org/usjunioramateur/2025/scoring.html

 

WAGR Files: Junior Golf in Jordan

[leezer99]

Are we really going to have a 16 for 1 playoff?

 

Never mind... someone made a birdie and knocked out all of the +4 kids and the cut went to +3.

Edited July 23 by leezer99

[golferdad8]

4 hours ago, BallsBreakFast said:

On the girls side two of top-5 in stroke play from Hong Kong though exited first round of match play. Will have to see how they do in college as they incoming freshmen...

 

Match play requires talking & some showmanship, and sometimes the quiet ones can get intimidated if not used to it. 

[LOB-Dwight]

4 hours ago, leezer99 said:

 

WAGR Files: Junior Golf in Jordan

I saw this tweet by Brentley and then went back a few minutes later to find it and couldn’t. Still can’t, it may have been deleted.  

Edited July 23 by LOB-Dwight

[Tugu]

41 minutes ago, LOB-Dwight said:

I saw this tweet by Brentley and then went back a few minutes later to find it and couldn’t. Still can’t, it may have been deleted.  

Gimme a hot minute and I'll make one about ranked JGS players shooting similar at invitationals and then even more in college (if they can even make the line up). 

 

Nothing new about people taking what they can in life. Nothing new in mousetraps not being perfect in every way. Truly nothing new in people with nativist views finding small examples of minorities (minors on this occasion) and creating some kind of hue and cry, acting as if some kind of atrocity has been committed.

[BallsBreakFast]

1 hour ago, golferdad8 said:

Match play requires talking & some showmanship, and sometimes the quiet ones can get intimidated if not used to it. 

I think match play to stroke play is like tournament poker to cash games. Controlled aggression is not something many Asian girls (esp non-US based Asians) are accustomed to. 🤷‍♂️

[ATXGolferGuy]

11 hours ago, rule_6 said:

As far as the qualifying goes, Cameron Kuchar played his qualifier in Idaho for obvious reasons. I think the USGA would be better suited to allow a certain number of spots per state and require that your qualifier be played in the state in which you reside. Kind of like the Electoral College (no politics!). Gaming the system is unfair to the best player in Idaho b/c some kid from FLA has a PGA Tour player father and can fly him to state where the qualifying scores tend to be higher and the competition less. JMO

As much as I like the idea of having to qualify in the state in which you reside, some people's schedules just don't allow this to happen.  It is the US JR Am so why shouldn't a US based player be able to qualify wherever they choose?  

 

None of us have any idea why Kuchar played his qualifier where he did, and it doesn't matter.  Shoot I did a US Mid Am qualifier in Louisiana a few years ago because it fit better with my work schedule, should I not have been allowed to do this just because I live in TX.....it is a national event!

 

What floors me is the poster saying my kids could sign up for the California Jr. State Championship even though they live in Texas.....to me that doesn't pass the smell test....especially if the winner gets an invite to the US JR AM, but if that is what California wants to do, well so be it....I guess we'll play an event in Cali in a few years😁

12 hours ago, jholz said:

Yeah, you are probably right. The very last, and the most inconsequential value expressed in these posts has to be..."making the kids feel special."

 

I could GAF if your kids "feel special."

 

This seems to be the most important aspect of the endeavor for most of you parents. 

 

Unless they can actually play golf, none of us care how "special" your kid feels.

I will 1000% support how the USGA supports the players of these events at the championship venues.  I still have the personalized monogramed leather travel bag they gave me from 1995 (albeit in the attic gathering dust), my boys still see it every year when we get the Christmas decorations down.  For most of these players it will be the biggest tournament they ever play in....why shouldn't they be made to feel special....it is a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP and is a big deal.  At EVERY USGA championship the players are made to feel like they are tour pros as well they should be.  Do you have any idea how HARD it is to even qualify for a single USGA final championship?  I guess in your opinion the USGA or (ANY tournament) shouldn't do anything for the players that actually made it through to the finals other than tell them what time to show up at the first tee. 

 

My youngest son qualified for the 2nd round of DCP which for him is Sunday near Dallas, so we are trying to make seeing the final of the US Jr. Am fit into the schedule for Saturday. Nothing better than seeing how SPECIAL the USGA treats its contestants and lighting a fire in my boys to try and qualify in a couple years. 

[MahalNeneng]

17 hours ago, rule_6 said:

I think what he means is that the USGA makes it feel like the US Open in terms of hospitality to the players.

 

That being said, your comments are way off base.

 

As far as the qualifying goes, Cameron Kuchar played his qualifier in Idaho for obvious reasons. I think the USGA would be better suited to allow a certain number of spots per state and require that your qualifier be played in the state in which you reside. Kind of like the Electoral College (no politics!). Gaming the system is unfair to the best player in Idaho b/c some kid from FLA has a PGA Tour player father and can fly him to state where the qualifying scores tend to be higher and the competition less. JMO

There two sides to that coin as well. Yes idaho players get shafted , but restricting it to state also has down sides ie texas, florida, cali where arguably the top 3-10 (we looked at top 10 2025 players in texas at some point in the last couple years and put their jgs in other states most of the list was on top in most states) players are #1s everywhere else. Electorial college style if they took that into account is better cause those states would get more based off of comparable rankings? Not sure what mech drives that but something similar

having said all that just another jr tournament amongst the 100s that were played. 
qualifying for first freshman road trip starts in  3.5 weeks the wheel keeps on turning

[leezer99]

The point I think we're all making is that by letting in players based on WAGR points and special exemptions, the U.S. Junior Am ends up with a weak field. That takes away from the winner’s accomplishment. Events like the Monroe or Pac Coast Am offer a much stronger test and are a better measure of who the top junior players really are.

[golferdad8]

11 hours ago, leezer99 said:

The point I think we're all making is that by letting in players based on WAGR points and special exemptions, the U.S. Junior Am ends up with a weak field. That takes away from the winner’s accomplishment. Events like the Monroe or Pac Coast Am offer a much stronger test and are a better measure of who the top junior players really are.

I agree with you on your first sentence, but not sure that Pac Coast Am being a strong field. After all, lots of top juniors are not available this week, plus many are prepping for the Western Am coming up. For Pac Coast, do you really think this is the top "junior" players - seems most of them are college players with many who are seniors or recent college grads. 

https://pcga-2025pacificcoastamateurchampionship.golfgenius.com/pages/11475273834035154890

 

 

 

[Dallas]

It is probably not a correct statement to say the U.S. Junior Am has a weak field although I would agree that certain exemptions make it weaker than it otherwise might be.

[WesternRacing]

LOL at people who think that tournaments do or should only include only players from that state or country.  The title of a tournament is its location, not the nationality of the players in the field.  Whatever you do, don’t look at the U.S. Am field…. Or literally almost any other sport, anywhere…

 

 

Edited July 24 by WesternRacing

[Golfdad28]

You guys are some of the most negative people i have ever seen. We just got back from Dallas my son shot 8 over at Brook Hollow and 1 over at Trinity finished tied for 135! He is 15 and by far and above the best tournament we have ever been too period! Brook Hollow was a beast and yet one of if not the best courses i've ever seen. It was like putting on glass! The USGA made the event so special and I can tell you that even finishing near the middle of the pack it lit a new found fire in the tank to get even better! Hat's off to the clubs and volunteers that made the event such a great event for the kids. The coaches watching the kids and filming their swings added a new element and it was all positive on all accounts they made those kids feel like tour players!

It seems to me that this forum has forgotten that this is junior golf with teens playing on the highest level.  Everyone there has a story and just getting there however shouldn't be a negative discussion but something to be proud of! Nothing in this life is ever going to be perfect but from my own experience i can tell you that it was a great ran event and something that i sure hope we get to go back to in the next 3 years! Pretty cool when you get to the range they have your name on the tee box and ask you if you want ProV1 or ProV1X balls! Thanks to all the sponsors and the gadgets and merch they give out to the kids as well, they made them feel like superstars!

[LawGenius305]

59 minutes ago, Golfdad28 said:

You guys are some of the most negative people i have ever seen. We just got back from Dallas my son shot 8 over at Brook Hollow and 1 over at Trinity finished tied for 135! He is 15 and by far and above the best tournament we have ever been too period! Brook Hollow was a beast and yet one of if not the best courses i've ever seen. It was like putting on glass! The USGA made the event so special and I can tell you that even finishing near the middle of the pack it lit a new found fire in the tank to get even better! Hat's off to the clubs and volunteers that made the event such a great event for the kids. The coaches watching the kids and filming their swings added a new element and it was all positive on all accounts they made those kids feel like tour players!

It seems to me that this forum has forgotten that this is junior golf with teens playing on the highest level.  Everyone there has a story and just getting there however shouldn't be a negative discussion but something to be proud of! Nothing in this life is ever going to be perfect but from my own experience i can tell you that it was a great ran event and something that i sure hope we get to go back to in the next 3 years! Pretty cool when you get to the range they have your name on the tee box and ask you if you want ProV1 or ProV1X balls! Thanks to all the sponsors and the gadgets and merch they give out to the kids as well, they made them feel like superstars!

My oldest playing in the USGA Junior was the best golf experience I have ever been associated with.

[kcap]

1 hour ago, Golfdad28 said:

You guys are some of the most negative people i have ever seen. We just got back from Dallas my son shot 8 over at Brook Hollow and 1 over at Trinity finished tied for 135! He is 15 and by far and above the best tournament we have ever been too period! Brook Hollow was a beast and yet one of if not the best courses i've ever seen. It was like putting on glass! The USGA made the event so special and I can tell you that even finishing near the middle of the pack it lit a new found fire in the tank to get even better! Hat's off to the clubs and volunteers that made the event such a great event for the kids. The coaches watching the kids and filming their swings added a new element and it was all positive on all accounts they made those kids feel like tour players!

It seems to me that this forum has forgotten that this is junior golf with teens playing on the highest level.  Everyone there has a story and just getting there however shouldn't be a negative discussion but something to be proud of! Nothing in this life is ever going to be perfect but from my own experience i can tell you that it was a great ran event and something that i sure hope we get to go back to in the next 3 years! Pretty cool when you get to the range they have your name on the tee box and ask you if you want ProV1 or ProV1X balls! Thanks to all the sponsors and the gadgets and merch they give out to the kids as well, they made them feel like superstars!

I love that you had a great experience.  I actually picked up each of the range practice balls when we were there.  I just found them so cool and the full experience of tags and volunteers etc. 

 

And that is my point, it is such a wonderful experience for the kids.  The hospitality and the competition, that the qualification should be a two round cut off.  I don’t care that much about the WAGR exemptions and the ppl traveling to other states.

 

The field is the strongest there is in junior golf but it is top heavy.  A 36 round qualifier would just create more competition for the middle of the field. 
 

FWIW - I still have the range practice balls!!

[golferdad8]

59 minutes ago, Golfdad28 said:

You guys are some of the most negative people i have ever seen. We just got back from Dallas my son shot 8 over at Brook Hollow and 1 over at Trinity finished tied for 135! He is 15 and by far and above the best tournament we have ever been too period! Brook Hollow was a beast and yet one of if not the best courses i've ever seen. It was like putting on glass! The USGA made the event so special and I can tell you that even finishing near the middle of the pack it lit a new found fire in the tank to get even better! Hat's off to the clubs and volunteers that made the event such a great event for the kids. The coaches watching the kids and filming their swings added a new element and it was all positive on all accounts they made those kids feel like tour players!

It seems to me that this forum has forgotten that this is junior golf with teens playing on the highest level.  Everyone there has a story and just getting there however shouldn't be a negative discussion but something to be proud of! Nothing in this life is ever going to be perfect but from my own experience i can tell you that it was a great ran event and something that i sure hope we get to go back to in the next 3 years! Pretty cool when you get to the range they have your name on the tee box and ask you if you want ProV1 or ProV1X balls! Thanks to all the sponsors and the gadgets and merch they give out to the kids as well, they made them feel like superstars!

 

Congrats to your son, and I'm sure your son's great and deserving and the venue is fantastic! 

However, there were a TON of great junior golfers who were left out or not there (for a variety of the reasons that have already been mentioned).

This reminds me a bit of the Academy Award...not all the people nominated are deserving, and often times the most deserving are not even up there.

 

As for the strength, consider that unlike more recent years, a ton of 2025 commits to top 40 golf colleges are not there (many didn't even try for it). 

Congrats to all these who got to experience this, but I think it's ok to look at the bottom 75+ golfers and say objectively that relative to prior years, the recent US Jr Ams has been diluted by too many international exemptions and one-hit wonders and it's ok to say: "it's a weaker field." 

[golfortennis]

1 hour ago, kcap said:

I love that you had a great experience.  I actually picked up each of the range practice balls when we were there.  I just found them so cool and the full experience of tags and volunteers etc. 

 

And that is my point, it is such a wonderful experience for the kids.  The hospitality and the competition, that the qualification should be a two round cut off.  I don’t care that much about the WAGR exemptions and the ppl traveling to other states.

 

The field is the strongest there is in junior golf but it is top heavy.  A 36 round qualifier would just create more competition for the middle of the field. 
 

FWIW - I still have the range practice balls!!

 

Personally I agree with what you are saying.  I dislike the way there seems to be a greater "appreciation," shall we say, of these rankings, than before.  Changes were made to "ensure the best players are there."  Well, assuming the US Amateur or Jr Amateur is hurt by the absence of the "best" players, that suggests something other than the competition is the prime focus.  3 gue$$e$ as to what that might be.  Secondly, if they are the best players, they will get through qualifying, no?  

 

But if I put the USGA's hat on for a moment to try to see the other side, one big thing I would think is that it may be difficult to find courses willing to host.  I know here in Ontario, nearly all qualifiers now are at public courses, because private clubs don't want to give up their course.  They will host the championship proper, but qualifiers, not so much.  I know in FLorida it is near impossible to find a one-day event run by the FSGA in the area and time we visit, when in the past, there were several options.  So I can see that.  Don't like it, but you can't hold a qualifier that no one is willing to host.

[WesternRacing]

2 hours ago, golferdad8 said:

 

 

As for the strength, consider that unlike more recent years, a ton of 2025 commits to top 40 golf colleges are not there (many didn't even try for it). 

 

 

So those players either didn’t even try to qualify, or they tried and failed to qualify, but it’s someone else’s fault that they’re not there?  Even though every other player in the qualifying round had to play by the same rules they did?

 

(Scratching my head…)

[golfdad1]

If they are going to use WAGR, I think the fairest way would be to have the top-75 ranked Americans and the top-25 ranked internationals. WAGR is grossly unfavorable to US juniors when it comes to points allocation to bigger junior events compared to the point values in many countries. I have no problem letting top international juniors in, and they should be welcomed into the championship. There just needs to be a more equitable way of doing it. My son always thought it was cool meeting kids from other countries. 

[golferdad8]

1 hour ago, WesternRacing said:

 

So those players either didn’t even try to qualify, or they tried and failed to qualify, but it’s someone else’s fault that they’re not there?  Even though every other player in the qualifying round had to play by the same rules they did?

 

(Scratching my head…)

I made an observation - not blame - for top juniors not playing. 

Does US Jr Am want the best players or not? It’s ok if it’s not - but don’t position it that way when it’s 100x easier get in from the smaller states.
 

[ATXGolferGuy]

I looked up the exemptions for the US Jr. Am

 

U.S. Junior Amateur Championship Full Exemption Criteria

 

1) State Junior Amateur Championships a. Defined by the geographic boundaries of the United States (50 states) plus Puerto Rico b. Must be a WAGR-ranked event with an average event Power of 20 or higher (3-year rolling average) c. For events not currently ranked in WAGR or who do not have a 3-year history of being ranked in WAGR:  Average event Power of 25 or greater in the two most recent years, or;  Event Power of 25 or greater in the most recent year a. Must have eligibility requirement that limits participation to residents or association members of that state and limits participation to junior golfers (17 or 18 & under) d. Only one championship per state may qualify for exemption under this category.

 

Microsoft Word - 2025 USGA Exemption Event Criteria & Listing (Draft).docx  US Jr. Am info starts on page 15.  Per this document the California Jr. Am Champion does NOT get an exemption into the USJAM.  

4 hours ago, Golfdad28 said:

He is 15 and by far and above the best tournament we have ever been too period! Brook Hollow was a beast and yet one of if not the best courses i've ever seen. It was like putting on glass! The USGA made the event so special and I can tell you that even finishing near the middle of the pack it lit a new found fire in the tank to get even better! Hat's off to the clubs and volunteers that made the event such a great event for the kids. The coaches watching the kids and filming their swings added a new element and it was all positive on all accounts they made those kids feel like tour players!

That is awesome!!  Happy that your son had a great experience, the USGA does things right (most of the time).  What did your son shoot in his qualifier and was this his first attempt at it?  I'm hoping my two see how awesome this tournament is on Saturday and want work hard to qualify in a couple of years.

[BallsBreakFast]

9 hours ago, golfdad1 said:

If they are going to use WAGR, I think the fairest way would be to have the top-75 ranked Americans and the top-25 ranked internationals. WAGR is grossly unfavorable to US juniors when it comes to points allocation to bigger junior events compared to the point values in many countries. I have no problem letting top international juniors in, and they should be welcomed into the championship. There just needs to be a more equitable way of doing it. My son always thought it was cool meeting kids from other countries. 

I haven't done the breakdown but I would strongly expect that if you applied the same "top-75 americans and top-25 ranked internationals" exemptions criteria to the Girls Am, you will get a much much weaker field. The relative depth of international talent on the girls side is the flipside of the depth of American talent on the boys. 

🍿 🍿 🍿 🍿 🍿...

 

[BallsBreakFast]

8 hours ago, ATXGolferGuy said:

....Must have eligibility requirement that limits participation to residents or association members of that state and limits participation to junior golfers (17 or 18 & under) ....

 

I had looked into this the previous year and found many of the state golf associations I looked at (didn't look at all tbh) did not restrict membership only to residents. So nothing would stop you if willing to pay the annual fee to join that state's GA.

[Golfdad28]

ATX he shot 5 under at Louisville, KY qualifier that was the closest one to us where we live in northeast TN. Your sons will get the fire going when they see what the USGA does for this tournament! Just so happen my son played within a couple groups of Charlie and it was really cool to see that many people following in a junior tournament, Tiger was a class act while i was around him and i think most of the people were as well. I almost think if you get a chance to see the first two days when all the college coaches are there and see that many good players on the range and putting greens they might get a better realization of what a great accomplishment it is just to get there! We missed our states qualifier because he qualified into a AJGA at the same time. Me being a dad that knew nothing about golf a couple years ago it's been a learning curve to say the least to figure out what tournaments to play in! It's crazy just trying to get into the AJGA circle at 15 when you didn't do the junior all stars. My advice is try to get in as many of those as you can in the 13-14 age if the game is there. My son was 15 one Jan 1st so that puts him behind the eight ball just trying to get into open qualifiers being a 2028 grad. I have entered almost every qualifier each week and have gotten into 2 all year. He has qualified into both of those he has been in but man it's a grind trying to build up those stars!!! I'd hate to know what a average star costs!!!! I need a service or someone who could help show what tournaments to enter!