ME.<\/p>\n
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11th June 2026<\/p>\n
Preview<\/p>\n
The 131st Amateur Championship will be played at Royal Liverpool G.C. and West Lancashire G.C. in north west England on 15th-20th June 2026.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the main Championship an 18 hole Pre-Qualifying (PQ) event is being played on 12th June 2026 at West Lancashire G.C.<\/p>\n
The Amateur is the most prestigious amateur golf event played outside of the United States and the highlight of the Great British and Irish (GB&I) amateur season.<\/p>\n
I will be updating this article as more information becomes available and providing daily reports throughout the Championship.<\/p>\n
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The Amateur Championship Trophy (Photo: Oisin Keniry \/ R&A \/ R&A via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Format<\/p>\n
Stroke Play Qualifying<\/p>\n
Two rounds of stroke play will be completed on Monday 15th June and Tuesday 16th June to determine a top 64 match play field.<\/p>\n
Each contestant will play 18 holes around Royal Liverpool G.C. and West Lancashire G.C. with three-ball tee times between 6.45am and 3.37pm on both days.<\/p>\n
For the third year a sudden death play-off will be used to break ties for the last qualifying place. The play-off will be held on the 1st and 18th holes at Royal Liverpool G.C. Previous year\u2019s have more often than not seen all ties advance to the match play stage with a Preliminary Round then having to be played.<\/p>\n
Ties for all other match play seedings are resolved by reference to the combined back nines (then six, three and one) from each course.<\/p>\n
Match Play Stage<\/p>\n
The Match Play stage will be contested between Wednesday 17th and Saturday 20th June solely at Royal Liverpool G.C.<\/p>\n
The following Match Play template is used to set up the draw.<\/p>\n
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Each match will consist of one round of 18 holes except for the Final which will be played over 36 holes. Any tied matches will continue into sudden death extra holes to determine a winner.<\/p>\n
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Royal Liverpool G.C.<\/p>\n
Field<\/p>\n
288 male amateur golfers from 42 countries will contest the Championship.<\/p>\n
278 competitors were offered places in the Championship when entries closed on 21st May 2026. These players were drawn from 1) a number of exempt categories covering previous Championship performances and representative team selections and 2) allocated to those highest ranked players 1st-2,000th in the WAGR<\/a> as at Week 20 2026 (i.e. the Wednesday 13th May release), and then via WHS Handicap index at the date of entry.<\/p>\n At entry players were offered the opportunity to play in a Pre-Qualifying (PQ) event, should they not make the initial line-up, for which a minimum of 5 spots were originally guaranteed \u2013 see below.<\/p>\n Click here to view the full \u2013 2026 Amateur Championship Terms of Competition<\/a><\/p>\n Pre-Qualifying (PQ)<\/p>\n The R&A are running a PQ event for the fifth time to offer some of the players not allocated an original place in the field an opportunity to earn one.<\/p>\n 72 players will contest this 18 hole event at West Lancashire G.C. on 12th June 2026.<\/p>\n This field was made up of the 15 highest ranked WAGR players not originally accepted into the Championship field followed by a lowest handicap ballot for the remainder.<\/p>\n The current number of spots available has already risen from the guaranteed 5 to 23 (as at 2.00pm on Thursday 11th June). This is because 10 spaces in the field were ultimately left open after the close of entries and 13 players have subsequently withdrawn from the Championship before PQ started.<\/p>\n Amongst the 13 withdrawals were highly ranked Miles RUSSELL (USA) and \u00c1rni Gunnlaugur SVEINSSON (ISL) who were both successful in Final Qualifying for next week\u2019s U.S. Open Championship which is being played at Shinnecock Hills G.C.<\/p>\n Ties for the last qualifying places will be decided by a sudden death play-off. However, alternate spots, due to subsequent late withdrawals from the Championship over the weekend, will be decided by a card count back from PQ.<\/p>\n In previous years the number of playing spots derived from PQ have been \u2013 30 (2022), 34 (2023), 43 (2024) and 31 (2025).<\/p>\n West Lancashire G.C.<\/p>\n Leading Players<\/p>\n Luke POULTER (ENG), WAGR #9, is the lowest ranked player in the Championship.<\/p>\n Daniel BENNETT (RSA) #16, Akina KIHEI (USA) #22, Jack TURNER (USA) #26, Tim WIEDEMEYER (GER) #28, Niall SHEILS DONEGAN (SCO) #30, Eliot BAKER (ENG) #35, Connor GRAHAM (SCO) #37, Max HERENDEEN (USA) #42, Adam BRESNU (MOR) #44 and Stuart GREHAN (IRL) #47 are the other players in the WAGR top 50.<\/p>\n The other home players in the WAGR Top 250 competing this year are Freddie TURNELL (ENG) #92, Harley SMITH (ENG) #103, Zach LITTLE (ENG) #104, Tom OSBORNE (ENG) #113, Jack WHALEY (ENG) #128, Josh HILL (SCO) #129, Sam EASTERBROOK (ENG) #144 and Seb CAVE (ENG) #149, Daniel HAYES (ENG) #153, Jack BIGHAM (ENG) #160, Ben BOLTON (ENG) #162, Matty DODD-BERRY (ENG) #183 and Caolan RAFFERTY (IRL) #196.<\/p>\n Host Courses<\/p>\n Royal Liverpool G.C.<\/p>\n Royal Liverpool, a renowned links course situated on The Wirral in Cheshire is arguably the most historic course in England.<\/p>\n The club has hosted 19 Amateur Championships (a record), 13 Open Championships as well as two Walker Cups and a Curtis Cup.<\/p>\n The R&A will be playing the course at 7,119 yards with a par of 72 during the event.<\/p>\n West Lancashire G.C.<\/p>\n Founded in 1873 West Lancs is located up the coast in Blundellsands, just a few miles north of Liverpool city centre.<\/p>\n It has co-hosted The Amateur on a number of occasions and is a regular and current Open Final Qualifying host venue.<\/p>\n During the Championship the course will play to 7,060 yards and a par of 72.<\/p>\n Schedule<\/p>\n The R&A have laid out the following provisional schedule for the Championship: \u2013<\/p>\n 2026 Amateur Championship Schedule (Graphic: The R&A)<\/p>\n Weather Forecast<\/p>\n The Championship is set to be played in reasonably good conditions with sunshine, showers and modest winds expected.<\/p>\n Click here to view the \u2013 Latest BBC Weather Forecast for Hoylake, Wirral<\/a><\/p>\n With tee times between 6.45am and 3.37pm over the opening two days modest changes in the weather throughout each day will inevitably impact scoring in the stroke play qualifying.<\/p>\n Prizes \/ Exemptions<\/p>\n A momento (a framed championship flag) is presented by The R&A to the leading player in the stroke play qualifying competition, with any ties for this prize decided on the lowest aggregate score for the second nine holes on both courses (or the last six or three or one if necessary).<\/p>\n The winner of the match play stage will become the Amateur Champion receiving the Championship Trophy and a Gold Medal.<\/p>\n The runner-up receives a Silver Medal and each losing semi-finalist a Bronze Medal.<\/p>\n The winner of The Amateur Championship, on the basis they remain an amateur, will receive the following exemptions \/ invitations into: \u2013<\/p>\n a) the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale G.C., England on 16-19 July 2026;<\/p>\n b) the 2027 Masters Tournament at Augusta National G.C., Georgia on 8-11 April 2027; and<\/p>\n c) the 2027 U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach G.L., California on 17-20 June 2027.<\/p>\n The Runner-Up will be given one of the 12 places in the inaugural Last Chance Qualifier for The Open event scheduled to take place on Monday 13th July.<\/p>\n The two losing Semi-Finalists and four losing Quarter finalists, on the basis they are still an amateur, will be exempt into Final Qualifying for the 2026 Open Championship.<\/p>\n The Open Championship Amateur Series Winner<\/p>\n For the fourth year The R&A will be running The Open Championship Amateur Series.<\/p>\n The player who gains the most WAGR points in the 2026 St. Andrews Links Trophy (5-7 June), Amateur Championship (15-20 June) and European Amateur Championship (24-27 June) will earn an exemption into the forthcoming Open at Royal Birkdale G.C.<\/p>\n Alex MAGUIRE (IRL), Calum SCOTT (SCO) and Cameron ADAM (SCO) earned this exemption in 2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively.<\/p>\n 2026 St. Andrews Trophy and Walker Cup GB&I Team Selection<\/p>\n Should a Great Britain & Ireland player win the Amateur Championship they are guaranteed a place on the GB&I Walker Cup team for the match against USA in September.<\/p>\n More Information<\/p>\n Click here to view the \u2013 R&A Amateur Championship Official Website<\/a><\/p>\n The Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and Final of the match play stage will be live streamed on The R&A TV & You Tube channels as well as being shown on Sky TV in the UK.<\/p>\n 2025 Amateur Championship<\/p>\n Match Play Stage<\/p>\n Ethan FANG (USA), then aged 20, won the 130th Amateur Championship at Royal St. George\u2019s G.C. beating Gavin TIERNAN (IRL) by 1 Hole in the 36 hole Final.<\/p>\n Ethan Fang Holds The Amateur Championship Trophy (Photo: Oisin Keniry \/ R&A \/ R&A via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Click here to view the \u2013 2025 Amateur Championship Match Play Results<\/a><\/p>\n Stroke Play Qualifying<\/p>\n Connor GRAHAM (SCO) claimed medalist honours at The Amateur Championship with a 133 (-9) total.<\/p>\n Graham became just the third player to win the Stroke Play Qualifying competition in two consecutive years since it was introduced in 1983. The other two cases happened immediately after this format change was made; Philip Parkin (WAL) in 1983-84 and Dana Banke (USA) in 1985-86.<\/p>\n Charlie Maran Presents Medalist Connor Graham With His Flag (Photo: Oisin Kenny \/ R&A \/ R&a via Getty Images)<\/p>\n 59 players finished on 140 (-2) or better after their 36 holes at Royal St. George\u2019s G.C. (par 70) and Royal Cinque Ports G.C. (par 72).<\/p>\n A sizeable 24-for-5 spots sudden death play-off was therefore required to sort out which of the players who finished on 141 (-1) advanced.<\/p>\n 89 players (31%) from GB&I competed in the 2025 Amateur Championship in Kent.<\/p>\n Click here to view the \u2013 2025 Amateur Championship Stroke Play Qualifying Results<\/a><\/p>\n 31 players ultimately advanced from the 72 who contested the Pre-Qualifying event.<\/p>\n Click here to view the \u2013 2025 Amateur Championship Pre-Qualifying Results<\/a><\/p>\n For more information on last year\u2019s Championship please click here \u2013 The Amateur Championship \u2013 2025 Preview & Results Article<\/a><\/p>\n A Short History of The Amateur<\/p>\n The Amateur Championship was first played in April 1885 at Royal Liverpool G.C. Allan Macfie (SCO) was the first champion beating Horace Hutchinson (ENG) 7&6 in the Final.<\/p>\n Up until the Second World War it was a hugely prestigious event and in many of these early years was afforded a much higher standing in the game than The Open Championship. Players like Johnny Ball (ENG), Harold Hilton (ENG) and Freddie Tait (SCO) were all amateurs and as good if not better than most of the professionals of the day.<\/p>\n With only modest rewards available in the professional game many of the better players simply stayed amateur. The great American Bobby Jones, who won The Amateur in 1930 on the way to his Grand Slam, remains the most well known career amateur.<\/p>\n Even after the war players remained amateur for much longer and famous names like Frank Stranahan (USA), Joe Carr (IRE), Sir Michael Bonallack (ENG), Peter McEvoy (ENG) and Gary Wolstenholme (ENG) all built their reputations on Amateur Championship wins.<\/p>\n With the growth and transformation of the professional game from the early 1980s onwards both the better players and the media increasingly started to turn their backs on the amateur game.<\/p>\n Any continuity has been lost over the last 30 years and most of the young golfing stars of today rarely play any more than 2 or 3 Amateurs before being lured into the pro ranks by the potentially huge rewards on offer.<\/p>\n Past Winners<\/p>\n The greatest player in the history of The Amateur is Johnny Ball. The Hoylake man won the Championship a record 8 times between 1888 and 1912.<\/p>\n Only three other players have won the competition more than twice; Sir Michael Bonallack (5), Harold Hilton (4) and Joe Carr (3). Bonallack amazingly won it three years in a row between 1968-1970. The last person to retain The Amateur was Peter McEvoy in 1977 and \u201978.<\/p>\n Prior to Ethan FANG\u2018s (USA) win in 2025 the previous 10 winners of The Amateur Championship were: \u2013<\/p>\n 2024 \u00a0Jacob Skov Olesen (DEN) \u2013 Ballyliffin G.C. A great achievement and honour for all of the players listed above. However, looking through the names reminds us of how incredibly tough golf is and that wins in the biggest amateur events are no guarantee of success in the professional game.<\/p>\n Click here to view a complete list of \u2013 Past Amateur Championship Winners<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/screenshot-2026-06-11-at-12.03.07.png\")
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2023 \u00a0Christo Lamprecht (RSA) \u2013 Hillside G.C.
2022 \u00a0Aldrich Potgieter (RSA) \u2013 Royal Lytham and St. Annes G.C.
2021 \u00a0Laird Shepherd (ENG) \u2013 Nairn G.C.
2020 \u00a0Joe Long (ENG) \u2013 Royal Birkdale G.C.
2019 \u00a0James Sugrue (IRL) \u2013 Portmarnock G.C.
2018 \u00a0Jovan Rebula (RSA) \u2013 Royal Aberdeen G.C.
2017 \u00a0Harry Ellis (ENG) \u2013 Royal St. George\u2019s G.C.
2016 \u00a0Scott Gregory (ENG) \u2013 Royal Porthcawl G.C.
2015 \u00a0Romain Langasque (FRA) \u2013 Carnoustie G.C.<\/p>\n