Marquee Events

The historic invitationals.

10 heritage amateur events outside the USGA ladder — the Western Amateur, Sunnehanna, Porter Cup, Trans-Mississippi, and others. Several are older than the Masters; collectively they carry WAGR weighting on par with U.S. Amateur Round of 16 finishes.

Western Amateur

Western Am

Conducted by the Western Golf Association since 1899 — one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur events in the world. 156-player field cut to the 'Sweet 16' for match play. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, and Chick Evans all won here. WAGR weighting comparable to a USGA national championship.

Midwest·Since 1899

The 'Sweet 16' match-play bracket is one of the toughest tests in amateur golf.

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Sunnehanna Amateur

Sunnehanna

72-hole stroke-play invitational at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, PA. Running since 1954 with a field of roughly 100 of the world's top amateurs. Past champions include Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Hal Sutton, and Bryson DeChambeau.

Northeast·Since 1954

Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, and Bryson DeChambeau all won here.

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Northeast Amateur Invitational

Northeast Am

72-hole stroke-play invitational at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, Rhode Island — a 6,700-yard Donald Ross gem. Running since 1962 with a deep international field. Brad Faxon's home event; past champions include Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, and Justin Leonard.

Northeast·Since 1962

Hosted at Donald Ross's Wannamoisett — one of his finest under-7,000-yard courses.

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Porter Cup

72-hole stroke-play invitational at Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, NY. Running since 1959. Strong WAGR weighting and consistently one of the deepest fields of the summer. Past champions include Ben Crenshaw, Hal Sutton, Bryson DeChambeau, and Viktor Hovland.

Northeast·Since 1959

WAGR-elite invitational — Hovland, DeChambeau, and Crenshaw on the trophy.

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Trans-Mississippi Amateur

Trans-Miss

Run by the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association since 1901. One of the oldest amateur events in the United States. 156-player stroke-play field cut to 32 for match play. Hosted on a rotating slate of top private clubs west of the Mississippi.

Midwest·Since 1901

Older than the Masters — founded 1901, second-oldest U.S. amateur invitational.

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North & South Amateur

North & South

Held at Pinehurst Resort since 1901 — the second-oldest amateur championship in the United States behind the U.S. Amateur. Stroke-play qualifying followed by match play on Pinehurst No. 2. Past champions include Jack Nicklaus, Curtis Strange, Davis Love III, and Webb Simpson.

Southeast·Since 1901

Match play on Pinehurst No. 2 — the venue of three U.S. Opens and the 2024 men's and women's U.S. Opens.

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Pacific Coast Amateur

Pacific Coast Am

Run by the Pacific Coast Golf Association — the regional confederation of state and provincial golf associations covering the western U.S., western Canada, Hawaii, and Mexico. 72-hole stroke-play championship. Past champions include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Collin Morikawa.

Pacific·Since 1967

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson both won here as amateurs.

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Southern Amateur Championship

Southern Am

Conducted by the Southern Golf Association since 1902. 144-player stroke-play championship rotating through the SGA's member-club venues across the U.S. South. One of the longest-running regional amateur titles in the country.

Southeast·Since 1902

Since 1902 — third-oldest regional amateur title in the U.S.

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Jones Cup Invitational

Jones Cup

Held at Ocean Forest Golf Club on Sea Island, Georgia. 54-hole stroke-play invitational dedicated to Robert Trent Jones Sr. Strong WAGR weighting and consistently one of the deepest early-season amateur fields in the country.

Southeast·Since 2000

Season-opening WAGR heavyweight at Ocean Forest on Sea Island.

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Eastern Amateur

Eastern Am

72-hole stroke-play invitational at Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club in Portsmouth, Virginia. Running since 1957. Tradition-rich Mid-Atlantic event with a strong WAGR-relevant field each July.

Mid-Atlantic·Since 1957

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About marquee amateur golf events

Outside the USGA championship ladder, a tight set of historic invitationals carries the most weight on an amateur résumé. The Western Amateur, run by the Western Golf Association since 1899, is the oldest non-USGA event in U.S. amateur golf and its Sweet 16 match-play bracket is one of the toughest tests in the game. The North & South Amateur at Pinehurst (1901), the Trans-Mississippi Amateur (1901), and the Southern Amateur (1902) round out the oldest regional titles in the country — all three pre-date the Masters by more than 30 years.

The mid-summer invitational circuit anchors WAGR scoring for U.S.-based amateurs. The Sunnehanna Amateur in Johnstown, the Northeast Amateur at Donald Ross's Wannamoisett, the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club, and the Pacific Coast Amateur each draw deep international fields and feed directly into World Amateur Golf Ranking points. The Jones Cup Invitational at Ocean Forest on Sea Island opens the year as a season-opening WAGR heavyweight; the Eastern Amateur at Elizabeth Manor anchors the Mid-Atlantic schedule.

For competitive adult amateurs, the marquee invitational calendar is the difference between a state-level résumé and one that earns Walker Cup or Palmer Cup consideration. Direct links above to each event organizer for invitational entry, qualifying procedures, and results archives.