BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The world’s top junior golfers will descend on the Lehigh Valley this summer when Saucon Valley Country Club hosts the 78th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, July 20-25 — the club’s first since Tim Straub won there in 1983.
Tim Straub receives the U.S. Junior Amateur trophy after winning the 1983 championship at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa. Saucon Valley will host the event again July 20-25, 2026. (USGA)
The United States Golf Association opened applications March 11 for male junior golfers from around the world to compete on Saucon Valley’s Old Course. The entry window closes May 13 at 5 p.m. ET. Eligible players must hold a Handicap Index no higher than 2.4 and must not have reached their 19th birthday by July 25.
“The U.S. Junior Amateur is the premier junior golf championship that brings together the elite young players from around the world to play on the world’s best golf courses,” said Rob Doone, director of championships at the USGA. “It means a great deal to the region to know that there are future major winners in the early stages of their careers who will be competing right here at Saucon this summer.”
Qualifying rounds begin May 26 and run through July 1 at 42 sites across the country. Local players will have two nearby chances to earn a spot — a qualifier June 4 at Totteridge Golf Club in Greensburg, Pa., and another June 11 at Saucon Valley’s Weyhill Course, where Doone said the field is already full.
The championship carries enormous stakes for the winner. The 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur champion will receive exemptions into the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, the 2026 U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club and the 2027 U.S. Amateur at Oak Hill Country Club.
The tournament’s alumni list reads like a who’s who of professional golf. Past champions include Tiger Woods, who won three consecutive titles from 1991 to 1993; Jordan Spieth, a two-time winner; Scottie Scheffler; Johnny Miller; Will Zalatoris; and David Duval.
Defending champion Hamilton Coleman will attempt to become just the second player in the championship’s history to win back-to-back titles.
The return to Saucon Valley marks the ninth USGA championship contested at the Bethlehem club — and is part of a long-term partnership that has four additional USGA events already on the schedule through 2051, including U.S. Senior Opens in 2032 and 2042, the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2038 and the U.S. Amateur in 2051.
“USGA championships have a rich history in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Saucon Valley Country Club is a big part in that,” Doone said, noting the club has hosted the third-most USGA championships in the state behind Merion and Oakmont. “Our commitment to Saucon is strong, with four future championships already on the schedule, reflective of how we feel about the club, its golf course, its membership and the surrounding community.”
The championship will have a significant economic impact on the region, Doone said. The event typically draws a few thousand spectators over the course of the week, and admission is free.
The championship field will include 264 competitors, each typically traveling with family members, caddies and other support staff. Golf Channel will also have a production crew on-site throughout the week, adding to the hotel and restaurant business across the region, he said.
The championship format features two rounds of stroke play July 20-21, with the field cut to 64 players for match play beginning July 22. The 36-hole final is scheduled for July 25.
Doone said volunteer support from the club and surrounding community has already been strong heading into the summer. “The club and community support mean everything to the USGA when we run our amateur championships,” he said. “The USGA relies heavily on volunteers during championship week and couldn’t run our championships without that help and support.”
More information on entries and qualifying sites is available at champ-admin.usga.org.
This is the part where we ask.
No billionaire owner. No paywall. Just you keeping local news free.
$5 keeps us going
100% funds local journalism.
Jai Smith is a lifetime Lehigh Valley resident on a mission to empower local underserved communities and inform the public while providing journalists and storytellers a platform to develop the next generation of news media.