Jones Cup Junior Invitational Preview: Invitation-Only Field Returns to Sea Island
12/16/2025 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: Jones Cup Junior Invitational, Sea Island Golf Club
An elite, invitation-only field of the nation’s top junior golfers heads to Sea Island Golf Club
The Jones Cup Junior Invitational returns to Sea Island Golf Club’s Seaside Course, welcoming one of the strongest invitation-only junior fields in the country for 54 holes of championship stroke play.
Unlike open-entry junior events, the Jones Cup Junior Invitational is strictly invite-only, with selections granted at the discretion of the Jones Cup Committee. Invitations are extended based on sustained excellence at the highest levels of junior, amateur, and championship golf, making acceptance into the field itself a significant achievement.
How the Field Is Selected
The Jones Cup Committee places considerable weight on performance across a wide range of elite competitions and ranking systems, including:
- AJGA, Collegiate, PGA TOUR U, and WAGR Rankings
- British Amateur Championship
- European Amateur Championship
- GB&I Walker Cup Squad
- U.S. Walker Cup Squad
- U.S. Amateur
- U.S. Junior Amateur
- Western Amateur
- Western Junior
- NCAA Championship
- Jones Cup
- North & South Amateur
- Northeast Amateur
- Porter Cup
- Southern Amateur
- Southeastern Amateur
- Sunnehanna Amateur
- Georgia Amateur
- U.S. Mid-Amateur
The result is a compact field featuring players who have already proven themselves on golf’s most demanding amateur stages.
Championship Format & Venue
- Format: 54-hole individual stroke play
- Venue: Seaside Course, Sea Island Golf Club
- Field: Elite male juniors, ages 15–18
- Key Incentive: Exemption into the Jones Cup Invitational
The Seaside Course’s coastal exposure, firm Bermuda turf, and ever-present wind reward precision ball-striking and disciplined course management. Historically, only a handful of players finish under par, reinforcing the championship-caliber challenge the course presents.
Recent Context
Last year’s championship was won by Georgia commit John Daniel Culbreth, who delivered a wire-to-wire performance to secure the title at 8-under par. Only four players finished under par for the week, highlighting the difficulty of the test and the premium placed on consistency.
Notable Past Champions
- 2025 – Gray Albright
- 2024 – Jacob Modleski
- 2023 – David Ford
- 2022 – Palmer Jackson
- 2021 – Ludvig Åberg
- 2020 – Davis Thompson
- 2019 – Akshay Bhatia
- 2018 – Garrett Barber
- 2017 – Braden Thornberry
- 2016 – Beau Hossler
- 2015 – Austin Connelly
- 2014 – Corey Conners
- 2013 – Sean Dale
- 2012 – Justin Thomas
- 2011 – John Peterson
- 2010 – Patrick Reed
- 2009 – Kyle Stanley
- 2007 – Luke List
- 2005 – Nicholas Thompson
- 2003 – Gregg Jones
- 2001 – D.J. Trahan
A Legacy Rooted in Amateur Golf
Born of the A.W. Jones family’s deep commitment to amateur golf, the Jones Cup began in 2001 as an opportunity to celebrate not only the game of golf, but also the camaraderie associated with it. This three-day, 54-hole individual stroke-play event at Ocean Forest brings together many of the finest amateurs from the U.S. and abroad.
Because of the global success of the Jones Cup Invitational and its recognition as a premier world amateur golf event, the Jones Cup Junior Invitational and Jones Cup Senior Invitational were created in 2009 and 2011 respectively, and are contested at Sea Island Golf Club each year.
What to Watch This Week
- Invitation-level depth: Nearly every competitor arrives with national championship experience.
- Coastal conditions: Wind and firm turf often define the leaderboard.
- Pathway opportunity: A win earns an exemption into the Jones Cup Invitational.
The Jones Cup Junior Invitational continues to reward patience, precision, and poise—traits shared by nearly every name etched into its trophy.
AmateurGolf.com will provide coverage throughout the week, including scoring updates, round recaps, and a complete championship wrap-up.
About the Jones Cup Junior
The Jones Cup Junior Invitational follows in the footsteps of the Jones Cup Invitational. The tournament features the nation’s top male junior golfers ages 15-18. The winner of the 54-hole stroke play competition receives an exemption to participate ...
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original