The biggest junior event in boys golf is officially underway, and the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur just kicked off Monday at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Get ready, because 264 golfers are hitting the links in a tournament that promises some absolutely wild swings and maybe, just maybe, a shocking finish, especially with a 13-year-old phenom ready to tee off.
This Course Is No Joke, But Hamilton Coleman Is Back To Defend
Saucon Valley’s Old Course is hosting most of the action, and let’s be real, it is a beast. We are talking 7,082 yards of pure golf, a Par 71 track that will test every single one of these young golfers. Hole 15 alone is a monstrous 617-yard Par 5, and Hole 1 is no walk in the park at 560 yards. The Grace Course is helping out as a stroke-play co-host today and tomorrow, but after that, it’s all Old Course for the match play. Last year’s champ, Hamilton Coleman, 17, from Augusta, Georgia, is back to defend his title after beating Minh Nguyen, of Vietnam, 2 and 1 at Trinity Forest in Dallas. He is one of two USGA champions in the field this year, joined by Tyler Mawhinney, who won the 2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. Can Coleman go back-to-back? He is certainly got the pedigree, but this field is stacked.
Age Is Just a Number, But What a Number This Is
Talk about a mixed bag, age-wise. This year’s field is a prime example of how junior golf is absolutely exploding. The average age is 16.94, but that number hides some serious extremes. On one end, we have Eli Weidmann, from Murphys, California, who is almost 19 years old, making him the oldest competitor and one of 98 18-year-olds in the field. But then there is Riku Takase, our 13-year-old from Japan, who is the *sole* competitor that young. He is 13 years, 8 months, and 16 days old at the start of this thing. That is a five-year age gap between the youngest and oldest, which just makes this whole tournament feel unpredictable. We are talking about 30 countries represented, with 180 golfers from the U.S. and even three of our own from Washington state. Four players are even in the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings, including Miles Russell at WAGR No. 7. The talent is undeniable.
If you are looking to catch some of this action, Golf Channel has you covered. They will be airing quarterfinal highlights and semifinal matches on Friday, July 24, starting at 4 p.m. ET online and then a tape delay at 8 p.m. ET on TV. Then, get ready for the Championship match on Saturday, July 25, live at 3 p.m. ET. This is the biggest junior event in the game, and with a 13-year-old squaring off against seasoned 18-year-olds, anything can happen. You do not want to miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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