Western Junior History

First played in 1914 at Chicago Golf Club, the Western Junior is the oldest national junior golf championship in the United States – predating the U.S. Junior by 34 years. Each year, it attracts the top junior players from more than 40 states and countries around the world.

From its earliest days, the Western Junior has served as a proving ground for the game’s rising stars. Past champions include current PGA TOUR standouts Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler and Patrick Rodgers, as well as  PGA TOUR veterans like  Jim Furyk, Hunter Mahan and Jamie Lovemark.

Today, the field is limited to 156 players. The championship begins with 36 holes of stroke play, after which the field is cut to the low 44 and ties. Those who advance compete in two additional rounds of stroke play for the coveted Western Junior title. The top three finishers and ties earn exemptions into the Western Amateur.

Over more than a century, the Western Junior has evolved in size, format and host venues – yet its place in the game has remained constant. It continues to showcase the next generation of champions.

When Charles Grimes of Calumet, Indiana, won the inaugural Western Junior in 1914, the championship  featured 18 holes of stroke-play qualifying followed by match play. This format remained in place until 1956, when a record 167-player field at the University of Michigan Golf Course prompted organizers to add an additional 18 holes of stroke play.

In 1999, the championship transitioned fully to stroke play, eliminating match play in favor of four competitive rounds. Mahan claimed the title that year – one of many champions who later found success on the PGA TOUR.

Long before they became collegiate All-Americans, PGA TOUR winners or Ryder Cup stars, players such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Wyndham Clark, and Max Homa sharpened their games at the Western Junior, continuing its legacy as the premier stage for the sport’s future greats.

*Event shortened due to weather.