One of the most prestigious prizes in golf is up for grabs this week as 312 players - all with a handicap of 0.4 or better - begin their quest to claim the US Amateur title and follow in the footsteps of men like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Charles B. MacDonald (the very first winner).
The World amateur No.1, 2, and 3 are all in action - Gordon Sargent, Jackson Koivun, and Luke Clanton - while 14-year-old Jaden Soong and 61-year-old Rusty Strawn will join them along with 15-year-old Miles Russell and John Daly II, son of the two-time Major champion.
Chaska Town Course in Minnesota hosts for the first two days of 18-hole stroke play before Hazeltine National Golf Club takes over down the stretch as match play rises to the fore.
The eventual champion may end up playing up to nine full rounds of golf across seven days - that's 162 holes - but the rewards at the end, which do not include any kind of prize money, are certainly worth the toil.
Here is everything the US Amateur champion will receive in 2024.
The Havemeyer Trophy
The US Amateur champion takes home the original Havemayer Trophy for the full year. The trophy was first presented to the USGA in March 1895 by its first president, Theodore A. Havemeyer.
The original trophy was silver and was handed to the winner every year until it was lost in a fire during 1925. Rather than trying to replicate the original, the USGA produced a stunning new gold-plated steeple cup which has been awarded annually since 1926.
A Gold Medal
A gold medal accompanies the trophy. It has the USGA's logo on and is worn around the neck by red, white, and blue material.
Over the years, it has been donned by the likes of five-time winner Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, and Bryson DeChambeau. Last year's champion was Nick Dunlap.
World Amateur Golf Ranking Points
Historically, the winner has received just below 25 WAGR points for coming out on top at the US Amateur while the runner up has earned around 20. That bundle of points can make a serious difference to a player's position in the WAGR.
Major Exemptions
The victorious player will receive an automatic invite into the 2025 Open Championship (Royal Portrush) - as long as they remain an amateur - and the US Open (Oakmont) next year. The USGA introduced a rule in 2019 where the winner can turn pro before next year and still take up their spot.
A Masters invite will also be sent in the post early next year, which remains valid as long as said player retains their non-pro status, although a trip to the PGA Championship is off the table regardless.
However, as an added bonus, the US Amateur champion tees it up at Augusta National with the defending Masters champion at the next Masters tournament. The same is true at the US Open as well. Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau await.
Name On A Wall At The USGA Museum
Every champion of a USGA tournament is recognized by having their name inscribed on a bronze plaque on the wall of the USGA's museum - the oldest sports museum in the US - in Liberty Corner, New Jersey.
At the end of 2019, there were 954 names on the wall, including Bobby Jones and Tiger Woods, whose names appear a record nine times each.
Exemption From US Amateur Qualifying For 10 Years
Not only do amateur stars earn an automatic tee time at the next 10 US Amateur Championships, but they are also exempt into the next decade of Amateur Championships, the following year's Northeast Amateur, and the 2025 Monroe Invitational too.
The 2025 US Amateur is due to be held at Olympic Club in San Francisco, while the 2026 event is at Merion and the 2027 championship is set for Oak Hill.
