Champions Crowned · Elite Amateur Golf Series
Bai and Miller Capture North & South Amateur Titles at Pinehurst
Two underdogs left Pinehurst with the Putter Boy. Joshua Bai, the No. 12 seed from New Zealand, won the 126th North & South Men's Amateur Championship with a 1 UP victory over No. 31 Keaton Vo in a final that lived up to the week — Vo, who had gone the distance or beyond in three straight matches, pushed the championship to the closing hole before Bai denied a second consecutive No. 31-seed title.
Bai's path was a gauntlet. After opening wins over Ronin Banerjee and Daniel Zou, he took down Sam Udovich 3&2, ended Dean Greyserman's giant-killing run 1 UP in the semifinals — a day after Greyserman had dismissed medalist Trevor Gutschewski 6&5 — and then held off Vo by the same 1 UP margin in the final. Three consecutive one-hole victories to close out a championship on the most demanding greens in golf.
The 124th North & South Women's Amateur belongs to Mary Miller, and no champion earned it more the hard way. The No. 26 seed beat five straight higher seeds — No. 7 Scarlett Schremmer (6&4), No. 10 Eliana Saga (4&3), No. 2 Sarah Lim (2 UP), and No. 3 Jie-En Lin (2&1) — before rallying past medalist and No. 1 seed Emilia Doran in 19 holes in the final. Doran, who had never trailed her way through the bracket all week, forced the champion to the 19th green before Miller finished the job.
The wins continue Pinehurst's recent tradition of rewarding the bracket's grinders: a year after Carlos Astiazaran won the men's title as the No. 31 seed and Mackenzie Lee took the women's crown as the No. 19, the 2026 champions arrived as the No. 12 and No. 26 seeds. On Donald Ross's No. 2, the seedings never matter — only the survivors.
2026 Champions
Men's champion: Joshua Bai (No. 12 seed) — def. Keaton Vo, 1 UP
Women's champion: Mary Miller (No. 26 seed) — def. Emilia Doran, 19 holes
Men's medalist: Trevor Gutschewski (132, -8)
Women's medalist: Emilia Doran (140, -4)
Venue: Pinehurst No. 2 (Donald Ross, 1907) · June 30 – July 4, 2026
The streak: Back-to-back years with double-digit-seed champions in both championships
Championship Finals — Results
| Final | Champion | Runner-up | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's | (12) Joshua Bai | (31) Keaton Vo | 1 UP |
| Women's | (26) Mary Miller | (1) Emilia Doran | 19 holes |
18-hole finals · Pinehurst No. 2 · July 4, 2026
The Champions' Roads
Joshua Bai (12): def. Banerjee → Zou 2&1 → Udovich 3&2 → Greyserman 1 UP → Vo 1 UP. Closed the championship with three consecutive one-hole wins.
Mary Miller (26): def. (7) Schremmer 6&4 → (10) Saga 4&3 → (2) Lim 2 UP → (3) Lin 2&1 → (1) Doran in 19 holes. Five straight wins over higher seeds, finishing with the medalist in extras.
Semifinals — Results
| Division | Winner | Def. | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | (12) Joshua Bai | (16) Dean Greyserman | 1 UP |
| Men | (31) Keaton Vo | (6) Ayden Fynaut | 19 holes |
| Women | (1) Emilia Doran | (28) Ryleigh Knaub | 3 & 2 |
| Women | (26) Mary Miller | (3) Jie-En Lin | 2 & 1 |
Men's Quarterfinals — Results
| Winner | Def. | Result |
|---|---|---|
| (16) Dean Greyserman | (8) Ryan Ford | 2 & 1 |
| (12) Joshua Bai | (20) Sam Udovich | 3 & 2 |
| (31) Keaton Vo | (26) Travis Woolf | 1 UP |
| (6) Ayden Fynaut | (30) Luke Colton | 7 & 5 |
Women's Quarterfinals — Results
| Winner | Def. | Result |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Emilia Doran | (24) Haruhi Nakatani | 3 & 2 |
| (28) Ryleigh Knaub | (29) Makayla Grubb | 3 & 2 |
| (26) Mary Miller | (2) Sarah Lim | 2 UP |
| (3) Jie-En Lin | (27) Emily Mathews | 3 & 1 |
Men's Second Round (Round of 16) — Results
| Winner | Def. | Result |
|---|---|---|
| (16) Dean Greyserman | (1) Trevor Gutschewski | 6 & 5 |
| (8) Ryan Ford | (24) Cam Smith | 21 holes |
| (20) Sam Udovich | (29) Chase Hughes | 1 UP |
| (12) Joshua Bai | (28) Daniel Zou | 2 & 1 |
| (31) Keaton Vo | (18) Drake Harvey | 1 UP |
| (26) Travis Woolf | (23) Dylan Boenning | 1 UP |
| (30) Luke Colton | (19) Toby Wilt | 22 holes |
| (6) Ayden Fynaut | (11) Jessy Huebner | 19 holes |
Women's Second Round (Round of 16) — Results
| Winner | Def. | Result |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Emilia Doran | (17) Trinity Beth | 3 & 1 |
| (24) Haruhi Nakatani | (8) Ningyao Xu | 22 holes |
| (29) Makayla Grubb | (20) Mia Clausen | 1 UP |
| (28) Ryleigh Knaub | (12) Vidhi Lakhawala | 2 & 1 |
| (2) Sarah Lim | (18) Kathryn Ha | 4 & 3 |
| (26) Mary Miller | (10) Eliana Saga | 4 & 3 |
| (3) Jie-En Lin | (19) Natalie Blonien | 3 & 2 |
| (27) Emily Mathews | (11) Ava Merrill | 2 & 1 |
Men's First Round (Round of 32) — Results
| Winner | Def. | Result |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Trevor Gutschewski | (32) RJ Arone | 3 & 2 |
| (16) Dean Greyserman | (17) Hudson Weibel | 2 & 1 |
| (8) Ryan Ford | (25) Rylan Shim | 5 & 4 |
| (24) Cam Smith | (9) Coltrane Mittag | advanced |
| (29) Chase Hughes | (4) Tyler Mawhinney | advanced |
| (20) Sam Udovich | (13) Ward Harris | advanced |
| (28) Daniel Zou | (5) Tyler Kowack | advanced |
| (12) Joshua Bai | (21) Ronin Banerjee | advanced |
| (31) Keaton Vo | (2) Justin Matthews | advanced |
| (18) Drake Harvey | (15) Thomas Horne | advanced |
| (26) Travis Woolf | (7) Adam Villanueva | advanced |
| (23) Dylan Boenning | (10) Zhengda Li | advanced |
| (30) Luke Colton | (3) Brady Smith | advanced |
| (19) Toby Wilt | (14) Steele Dewald | advanced |
| (6) Ayden Fynaut | (27) Carson Kim | advanced |
| (11) Jessy Huebner | (22) Jake Albert | advanced |
Women's First Round (Round of 32) — Results
| Winner | Def. | Result |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Emilia Doran | (32) Jillian Fatkin | 1 UP |
| (17) Trinity Beth | (16) Madison Dabagia | 3 & 1 |
| (8) Ningyao Xu | (25) Jessica Guiser | 1 UP |
| (24) Haruhi Nakatani | (9) Alexa Takai | 2 & 1 |
| (29) Makayla Grubb | (4) Isabella Johnson | 3 & 1 |
| (20) Mia Clausen | (13) Raegan Denton | 2 & 1 |
| (28) Ryleigh Knaub | (5) Madison Messimer | 4 & 2 |
| (12) Vidhi Lakhawala | (21) Savera Sandhu | 6 & 4 |
| (2) Sarah Lim | (31) Summer Lee | 5 & 3 |
| (18) Kathryn Ha | (15) Hannah Rabb | 6 & 4 |
| (26) Mary Miller | (7) Scarlett Schremmer | 6 & 4 |
| (10) Eliana Saga | (23) Carys Fennessy | 7 & 6 |
| (3) Jie-En Lin | (30) Ella Scaysbrook | 20 holes |
| (19) Natalie Blonien | (14) Jordan Levitt | 6 & 5 |
| (27) Emily Mathews | (6) Elizabeth Rudisill | 1 UP |
| (11) Ava Merrill | (22) Kayla Bryant | 4 & 2 |
Final Qualifying — Men's Bracket Seeds
| Seed | Player | R1 | R2 | Total | To Par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trevor Gutschewski | 68 | 64 | 132 | -8 |
| 2 | Justin Matthews | 65 | 68 | 133 | -7 |
| 3 | Brady Smith | 65 | 69 | 134 | -6 |
| 4 | Tyler Mawhinney | 66 | 69 | 135 | -5 |
| T5 | Tyler Kowack | 65 | 71 | 136 | -4 |
| T5 | Ayden Fynaut | 65 | 71 | 136 | -4 |
| T5 | Adam Villanueva | 66 | 70 | 136 | -4 |
| T5 | Ryan Ford | 67 | 69 | 136 | -4 |
| T9 | Coltrane Mittag | 68 | 69 | 137 | -3 |
| T9 | Zhengda Li | 66 | 71 | 137 | -3 |
| T11 | Jessy Huebner | 64 | 74 | 138 | -2 |
| T11 | Ward Harris | 73 | 65 | 138 | -2 |
| T11 | Joshua Bai | 67 | 71 | 138 | -2 |
| T11 | Steele Dewald | 69 | 69 | 138 | -2 |
| T11 | Thomas Horne | 69 | 69 | 138 | -2 |
| T11 | Dean Greyserman | 68 | 70 | 138 | -2 |
Final stroke play · Top 32 advanced to match play
Final Qualifying — Women's Bracket Seeds
| Seed | Player | R1 | R2 | Total | To Par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emilia Doran | 70 | 70 | 140 | -4 |
| 2 | Sarah Lim | 72 | 69 | 141 | -3 |
| T3 | Jie-En Lin | 76 | 66 | 142 | -2 |
| T3 | Elizabeth Rudisill | 68 | 74 | 142 | -2 |
| T3 | Isabella Johnson | 73 | 69 | 142 | -2 |
| T3 | Madison Messimer | 72 | 70 | 142 | -2 |
| T7 | Ava Merrill | 70 | 73 | 143 | -1 |
| T7 | Eliana Saga | 71 | 72 | 143 | -1 |
| T7 | Vidhi Lakhawala | 70 | 73 | 143 | -1 |
| T7 | Alexa Takai | 71 | 72 | 143 | -1 |
| T7 | Ningyao Xu | 72 | 71 | 143 | -1 |
| T7 | Scarlett Schremmer | 72 | 71 | 143 | -1 |
| T7 | Raegan Denton | 70 | 73 | 143 | -1 |
| T7 | Jordan Levitt | 70 | 73 | 143 | -1 |
Final stroke play · Top 16 advanced to match play
The Men's Championship
Format & the Title Defense That Wasn't
The men's field played two rounds of stroke play to set the bracket, after which 32 qualifiers advanced to five rounds of match play, every match contested on Pinehurst No. 2. Carlos Astiazaran arrived as the man to chase after his 2025 run as the No. 31 seed — surviving a 21-hole quarterfinal before defeating Tyler Watts on the first playoff hole of an 18-hole final. In 2026, it was Keaton Vo who carried the No. 31 banner all the way to the final before Bai closed the door.
Men's Stroke Play: The Pressure to Survive
The opening 36 holes are as much a mental test as a physical one. Only 32 players advance, and the cut line typically settles between -2 and +2 depending on weather, course setup, and field strength. A look at recent years shows how thin the margin can be:
| Year | Cut Line | Medalist |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -2 | Trevor Gutschewski (-8) |
| 2024 | +1 | Kelly Chinn (-6) |
| 2023 | +2 | Nick Dunlap (-8) |
| 2022 | +3 | -5 |
| 2021 | E | -4 |
Men's Match Play Drama
Once the bracket forms, the format levels the field — and 2026 proved it again. The medalist fell 6&5 in the Round of 16, the No. 2 seed lost his opener, and a No. 31 seed reached the final for the second consecutive year. It follows the pattern: in 2025 the No. 31 seed went all the way, and in 2024 Davis Ovard, a No. 29 seed, ran off four consecutive upsets before winning the final. On greens this severe, a single putt can swing a match — and a week.
Men's Legacy
Joshua Bai joins a winner's list that reads like a tour of the game's history: Jack Nicklaus (1959), Francis Ouimet (1920), Curtis Strange (1975, 1976), Corey Pavin (1981), and Davis Love III (1984), among many others. Love has called it the crowning achievement of his amateur career — "my U.S. Amateur," in his words. A win here solidifies WAGR standing, strengthens PGA Tour U positioning, and opens doors to global championships.
The Women's Championship
Format & a New Name on the Trophy
The women's championship split its stroke play across Pinehurst No. 2 and the bold, Gil Hanse–redesigned No. 4, then sent 16 players into four knockout rounds of match play on No. 2. Mackenzie Lee entered as the reigning champion after her 2025 run as the No. 19 seed. In 2026, the underdog tradition continued: Mary Miller's five straight wins over higher seeds echo Lee's path — and make it two consecutive years the women's title has gone to a double-digit seed.
Women's Stroke Play: Survive and Advance
The pressure is even sharper on the women's side, where only 16 players earn the right to compete in match play. Two rounds on No. 2 and No. 4 determine whether a week continues, and the cut line has historically hovered between +2 and +3. Recent years:
| Year | Cut Line | Medalist |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -1 | Emilia Doran (-4) |
| 2024 | +3 | Macy Pate (-6) |
| 2023 | +3 | Ashley Menne (-5) |
| 2022 | +2 | Hannah Levi (-7) |
| 2021 | +2 | Abbey Daniel (-3) |
Women's Match Play Brilliance
Match play at Pinehurst rewards players who can execute under pressure, and Mary Miller's week now belongs in that lineage. Her run through the Nos. 7, 10, 2, 3, and 1 seeds recalls 2024, when Catie Craig stormed through the bracket to a 4&3 win over top-seeded Macy Pate in the final, and 2025, when Mackenzie Lee survived two 20-hole marathons en route to the title. Ross's subtle slopes reward those who keep hitting the shots — whoever they're seeded.
Women's Legacy
First played in 1903, the women's championship has crowned legends including Babe Zaharias, Louise Suggs, Carol Semple Thompson, Danielle Kang, Yani Tseng, and Gabriela Ruffels — and now Mary Miller. The pipeline to the professional ranks is striking: nine of the last twelve champions have gone on to draw paychecks on the LPGA Tour. With WAGR points, major invites, and a spot on a century-old trophy at stake, the equation is near perfect — win the North & South, then chase success at the highest level.
The Common Ground: Pinehurst No. 2
Designed by Donald Ross and opened in 1907, Pinehurst No. 2 ranks among the most respected championship venues in the world. Its crowned greens, sandy waste areas, and strategic demands punish imprecise approach play and reward short-game creativity above raw power. The course has hosted three U.S. Opens and is slated to welcome both the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open in 2029. Both 2026 finals went the distance or beyond on its closing holes — a fitting examination, passed by two champions who had to hit every shot.
Why It Matters
For everyone who assembled at Pinehurst this week, the appeal is the one Richard Tufts described generations ago — an annual gathering of those who love the game, on hallowed ground. The 2026 editions delivered everything the North & South promises: elite competition, match play theatrics, seed-defying runs, and two champions crowned on the same green where Nicklaus, Ouimet, Zaharias, and Suggs once stood. Congratulations to Joshua Bai and Mary Miller — and thanks for following AmateurGolf.com's live coverage all week.
North & South Men's & Women's Amateur Championships · June 30 – July 4, 2026 · Pinehurst No. 2, Pinehurst, NC