USGA announces significant qualifying changes starting in 2024
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Haymarket ' s Scott Shingler has competed in multiple U . S . Amateur
Championships .
Expanding Opportunities
USGA announces significant qualifying changes starting in 2024
ROANOKE ’ S ROSS FUNDERBURKE STOOD OUTSIDE THE CLUBHOUSE AT CEDAR POINT CLUB LAST SUM- MER , admiring the Schwarszchild Brothers trophy he had just earned for winning the 109th Virginia State Golf Association Amateur Championship . Suppose he wins again in 2024 ? That title will almost certainly come with a bonus : automatic entry into the U . S . Amateur .
In March , the USGA announced the most significant changes to its amateur championship qualifying in more than 20 years . Starting in 2024 , winners of Allied Golf Association amateur , women ’ s amateur , junior boys ’ and junior girls ’ championships will earn automatic entry into their respective national amateur championships , provided those associations meet certain criteria regarding the World Amateur Golf Ranking .
The most significant change in qualifying is to the U . S . Amateur , which will move from a one-stage , 36-hole qualifying format to a two-stage qualifying format with 45 18-hole local qualifying sites and 19 18-hole final qualifying sites . Other adjustments include :
• Exemptions for state , AGA , regional and national amateur champions based on established criteria and historical WAGR event power rankings .
• Expansion of WAGR exemption category to top 100 ranked players ( previously 50 ).
• Establishment of local qualifying exemptions , which include top finishers in USGA championships , state / AGA amateur championships and top 600 WAGR players .
Alex Price reached the quarterfinals of last year ' s U . S . Amateur but needed to survive a grueling 36-hole qualifier just to get into the field .
“ Qualifying stinks , everyone knows that ,” said Haymarket ’ s Scott Shingler , a past VSGA Amateur champion who last competed in the U . S . Amateur in 2020 at Bandon Dunes . “ It ’ s so difficult . It ’ s a long day , sometimes two long days , it ’ s 90 degrees in the middle of summer . So to be able to win your state amateur and get an exemption into the U . S . Amateur is fantastic . Sign me up for that .”
Last year at James River Country Club , the VSGA conducted a U . S . Amateur qualifier that attracted 73 players , all vying for
CHRIS LANG ; BEN WALLS
8 V IRGINIA G OLFER | M AY / J UNE 2023 vsga . org