Ellen Port has earned nearly every distinction available to an amateur golfer — all despite picking up the game in her mid-twenties, far later than nearly every champion with whom she now shares history. In 2026, she will receive the honor that best encapsulates her career and character: the USGA’s Bob Jones Award, the association’s highest accolade recognizing sportsmanship, integrity, and lifelong service to the game.

Presented annually since 1955, the Bob Jones Award celebrates individuals who reflect the values of respect, character, and integrity exemplified by Robert Tyre “Bob” Jones Jr. With this recognition, Port joins one of the most distinguished lists in golf — including past recipients such as Francis Ouimet, Annika Sörenstam, Tiger Woods (2024), and Jack Nicklaus. 

A Record-Setting Amateur Career — Built From an Unlikely Start

Few amateurs have compiled a résumé as decorated as Ellen Port — and almost none have done so after discovering the game so late. Beginning competitive golf in her mid-twenties, Port climbed from novice to nationally dominant in a stunningly short window.

Today, she is a seven-time USGA champion, tied for second all-time among female champions with Carol Semple Thompson and Anne Quast Sander, and trailing only JoAnne Carner. Her major USGA titles include:

• Four U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships (1995, 1996, 2000, 2011)
• Three U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championships (2012, 2013, 2016)

Her seven victories place her among the greatest champions in USGA history. Only Bob Jones and Tiger Woods (nine each), and Jack Nicklaus and JoAnne Carner (eight each), stand ahead of her.

That level of achievement is remarkable for anyone — but for someone who began the sport nearly a decade later than most elite amateurs, it is one of the most inspiring arcs in modern golf.

Respected Competitor, Revered Sportswoman

Port’s competitive record is historic, but her character has always been just as defining. Revered for her grace, humility, and respect for the game, she has long been a model for what amateur golf represents.

“What stands out about Ellen isn’t just the historic success she’s had as a player but the way she has gone about it – with humility, grace and a deep respect for everyone around her.”
— Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA

Curtis Cup Leader, Mentor, and Team Captain

Port’s leadership expanded onto the international stage as a member of the 1994 and 1996 Curtis Cup Teams, where she represented the United States with the same sportsmanship that has become her trademark. She later captained the victorious 2014 USA Curtis Cup Team at St. Louis Country Club — a celebrated triumph in her hometown.

Port with Her 2014 Curtis Cup Winning Team

A Legacy That Now Joins Golf’s Most Iconic Figures

By receiving the Bob Jones Award, Port joins a lineage reserved for the sport’s most influential figures — competitors whose contributions extended beyond trophies.

Jack Nicklaus (1975) – 18-time major champion, global ambassador, and philanthropist whose commitment to sportsmanship mirrors his competitive greatness.

Annika Sörenstam (2023) – 10-time major champion and transformational leader in women’s golf, whose ANNIKA Foundation impacts players worldwide.

Tiger Woods (2024) – 15-time major champion whose influence on competitive golf, culture, and access to the game is unparalleled. His nine USGA titles match the record held by Bob Jones himself.

Ellen Port now stands proudly beside these titans — a testament not only to what she achieved, but to how she achieved it.

Three Decades as a Teacher, Coach, and Builder of People

Port’s influence extends far beyond her own scorecards. For 30 years, she served as a physical education teacher and multi-sport coach at John Burroughs School in St. Louis, guiding boys’ and girls’ golf teams to three state championships and three runner-up finishes.

She later became the women’s golf coach at Washington University in St. Louis, where she helped the Bears earn an at-large berth to the 2018 NCAA Division III Championship and produced All-Americans, All-Region standouts, and 11 all-UAA honorees.

The same hunger that pushed her from late-blooming golfer to national champion translated directly into her work with young athletes — modeling perseverance, discipline, and gratitude.

Ellen Port on the AmateurGolf.com Podcast

One of the most insightful windows into Port’s career came during her appearance on the AmateurGolf.com Podcast, where she reflected on her late start, her competitive evolution, and her love for the game.

Listen on Apple Podcasts: The AmateurGolf.com Podcast — Ellen Port Episode

Listen on Spotify: The AmateurGolf.com Podcast — Ellen Port Episode on Spotify

How She Sees Her Own Game

“I'm tenacious, I never give up, and I'm still trying to find a way to will it in the hole.”

“Golf can bring out the best and worst in us… there is a way to behave in golf, and that’s what I love about it.”

On Improving — Fast (After Starting in Her Mid-Twenties)

Port began playing golf in her mid-twenties — a revelation that makes her rise even more extraordinary. Competition, she explained, became her teacher:

“There's no substitute for competition. You have to play your way into shape… I was eager and hungry and had so many wonderful people in my life that just gave me little nuggets and direction and challenges and a vision for how good I could be.”

“Look at the PGA Tour; one week somebody doesn't make the cut, and the next week they win… That’s kind of what I did.”

A Mid-Am Victory for the Ages

She also reflected on winning the 2011 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur at age 50, a victory earned despite missing the Senior Women’s Amateur by a single week:

“I qualified for the Mid-Am… and I’ll be darned, I won that thing at 50.”

Honored and Grateful — A Celebration Ahead in 2026

“I thank the Lord every day for the blessings the game of golf has brought into my life… I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and humbled by this distinction.”

The USGA will formally honor Ellen Port at its Annual Meeting in New York City on Feb. 28, 2026, celebrating a life defined not by an early start in the game, but by relentless growth, service, integrity, and an unwavering love for golf.