U.S. Amateur Qualifying 2026: Sites, Dates & How to Qualify

About U.S. Amateur Qualifying

The U.S. Amateur is the most prestigious title in amateur golf, and for all but a handful of exempt players the road there runs through qualifying. Since 2024 the USGA has used a two-stage format: Local Qualifying in June and Final Qualifying in July, each a single 18-hole stroke-play test. Come through both and you earn one of the 312 places in the championship field.

Where things stand for 2026: entries closed on May 27, and qualifying is already underway. Local Qualifying is being played at roughly 45 sites across the United States, Canada and Mexico through June 30. The survivors advance to Final Qualifying at about 19 sites from July 13–22. Everyone who makes it through reaches the championship itself at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, August 10–16, 2026.

The sites listed below are this year's qualifiers — dates, courses and locations, kept current as the schedule fills in. To enter, a player needs a Handicap Index of 0.4 or lower and an accepted USGA entry ($190); fields routinely run 80 to 130 players deep, and only a small share from each site move on. In 2025, 5,245 players entered — which is what makes a single qualifying round one of the most unforgiving days in the game.

Recent qualifying sites

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Inside U.S. Amateur Qualifying

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The two-stage path, stage by stage

Local Qualifying is the wide end of the funnel. Roughly 45 one-day, 18-hole sites are spread across North America in June, with fields of 80 to 130 players competing for a small allocation — generally 5 to 15 spots plus two alternates, scaled to field size. That works out to about one in ten advancing. Final Qua

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The venues, the field, and how to play your way through — plus full coverage of U.S. Amateur Qualifying.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you qualify for the 2026 U.S. Amateur?

For all but exempt players, qualifying is a two-stage process: an 18-hole Local Qualifier in June, then an 18-hole Final Qualifier in July. Players who advance through both earn a place in the 312-player championship field at Merion Golf Club, August 10–16, 2026.

What handicap do you need to enter the U.S. Amateur?

Entrants must have a Handicap Index that does not exceed 0.4. The USGA lowered the limit as part of its 2024 qualifying changes, so the field today is effectively scratch or better.

When is 2026 U.S. Amateur qualifying?

Local Qualifying is played across June (June 1–30, 2026) at roughly 45 sites; Final Qualifying runs July 13–22 at about 19 sites. Entries opened March 18 and closed May 27, 2026.

How many players advance from Local Qualifying?

It varies with field size, but most local sites advance about 5 to 15 players plus two alternates, from fields of 80 to 130 — roughly one in ten. The lowest scorers move on; ties for the final spot are settled by a playoff.

What is the difference between Local and Final Qualifying?

Local Qualifying is the first, broadest stage in June, open to the full entry. Final Qualifying in July is the second stage, contested only by players who advanced locally (plus certain exempt players), with far fewer spots available per site.

How much does it cost to enter, and what's the format?

The entry fee is $190. Both qualifying stages are 18 holes of stroke play in a single day. The championship itself opens with 36 holes of stroke play, cuts to the low 64, then decides the title through match play.

Where is the 2026 U.S. Amateur being played?

Merion Golf Club (East Course) in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, August 10–16, 2026, with Philadelphia Country Club co-hosting the stroke-play rounds. Merion is where Bobby Jones completed the 1930 Grand Slam.

What are the odds of qualifying for the U.S. Amateur?

Long. More than 5,000 players entered in 2025, and only a few dozen come through qualifying to fill the non-exempt spots — roughly a 1-in-24 path from entry to the championship.