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<\/p>\nListen to article \u2022\u00a00:00 min<\/p>\n
Move over Florida, California, and New York City. There\u2019s a new golf Mecca, same as the old golf Mecca.<\/p>\n
More than 2,700 fans made their way to the lush fairways at Merion Golf Club on Friday, making it the best-attended single day in U.S. Amateur history, according to a United States Golf Association spokesperson. By the time the Am ends Sunday evening, as many as 20,000 fans are expected to have entered the main gate at the iconic, tiny par-3 13th hole, blowing away the record of 14,000 set last year at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.<\/p>\n
An hour after the final putt dropped, more than 200 fans waited in line to buy U.S. Am gear at the pro shop.<\/p>\n
Surprised? Don\u2019t be.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s Philly. It\u2019s golf.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s back.<\/p>\n
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At the turn of the 20th century, Philadelphia was the epicenter of the golf explosion in the United States, where Donald Ross and A.W. Tillinghast and Merion architect Hugh Wilson carved masterpiece after masterpiece<\/a>. As the PGA Tour migrated ever more south and west, the game\u2019s biggest names and tournaments were absent, and fans\u2019 attention turned to arenas, stadiums, and ballparks. The golf industry has seen the error of its ways, and now given the chances, Philly fans are representing again \u2014 especially when they get a chance to see how the other half lives.<\/p>\n Throngs flooded Merion when Justin Rose beat Phil Mickelson at the waterlogged 2013 U.S. Open,<\/a> and they surely will return for the U.S. Opens scheduled to be played here in 2030 and 2040.<\/a><\/p>\n Pine Valley in Camden County<\/a> often is ranked No. 1 in the world, but you\u2019ve got a better chance to of seeing the Shroud of Turin than of walking Pine Valley\u2019s fairways. Merion, meanwhile, consistently ranks among the world\u2019s top 20 courses, and Philadelphians take advantage of rare opportunities to visit.<\/p>\n \u00bb READ MORE: Golf fans admire the Merion Golf Club at the U.S. Amateur: \u2018It\u2019s a beautiful place, with such deep history\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s not just Merion.<\/p>\n Legions came to see Keegan Bradley win the sodden 2018 BMW Championship at Aronimink Golf Club<\/a> (Ross), and they returned to the \u2019Mink in May to watch Aaron Rai win the 2026 PGA Championship<\/a>. Huge crowds toured Philadelphia Cricket Club (Tillinghast) last year at the Truist Championship<\/a>, where Sepp Straka won.<\/a><\/p>\n Rosey and Phil and Captain Keegan aren\u2019t at Merion this weekend, but the next Rosey or Phil or Keegan just might be.<\/p>\n Joshua Ryan of Norristown, Pa., tees off on the second hole during the second day of the 126th U.S. Amateur Championship at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026.Read more<\/a>Jose F. Moreno \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n For most golf fans, when they hear \u201cMerion\u201d and \u201cAronimink\u201d and \u201cCricket,\u201d they equate these sites with places like the Taj Mahal, only far less accessible \u2026 unless there\u2019s a tournament. It takes $70,000, some serious connections, and proper breeding (shirt tucked in, hat faced forward, and no loud swearing) to access membership at Merion. However, for less than 40 bucks and a SEPTA<\/a> pass for the Paoli<\/a>\/Thorndale train, they can get off at the Haverford<\/a> station and crash this billionaire\u2019s haven for a day.<\/p>\n Since play began Monday with 312 qualifiers, thousands have done just that. As play continued with quarterfinals on Friday, hundreds of those thousands had found a local Cinderella to support. Briefly.<\/p>\n