Tiger Woods rewrote history at both the US Junior Amateur and US Amateur. Now, the awards given to the winners of those events have been renamed – and reorganized – in his honor.
The USGA announced Saturday that Woods’ name will be attached to two of its most prestigious amateur awards starting this year.
It is hard to imagine a more fitting recipient of such a gift. Between 1991 and 1996, Woods captured three consecutive US Junior Amateur titles followed quickly by three straight US Amateur victories. Any trifecta alone would seem destined to sit alongside Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak among untouchable records in sports. That Woods pulled two, back to back – well, maybe if Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Scottie Scheffler are one day reborn as one player, one might have a chance.
Under the new system, the US Amateur champion will receive the Tiger Woods Trophy in addition to the historic Havemeyer Trophy, while the US Junior Amateur trophy – previously without a second name – will bear Woods’ name entirely.
“The USGA and its tournaments have played a huge role in my life,” Woods said in a statement. “US Junior Amateur and US Amateur have been defining moments in my growth, both as a golfer and as a person. To be recognized in this way is incredibly humbling, and I hope it will inspire young players to chase their dreams and enjoy the history and values of the game.”
USGA CEO Mike Whan said Woods’ reign has forever changed the expectations of top young players.
“Tiger Woods redefined what was happening in beginner golf,” Whan said. “His accomplishments as a junior or rookie didn’t just set records — they set a new standard for achievement. Naming our US Amateur Trophy and US Junior Amateur Trophy in his honor ensures that every future champion is forever connected to a legacy that helped shape the modern game.”
The move puts Woods alongside a select group of legends whose names are affixed to USGA championship hardware, including Jack Nicklaus (US Open medalist), Mickey Wright (US Women’s Open medalist) and JoAnne Carner, who will be awarded her US Women’s Amateur championship for the first time this year.
The rebranded Woods awards will be released later this season, with the Tiger Woods Trophy presented to the US Amateur in Merion and the Tiger Woods Trophy awarded to the US Junior Amateur in Saucon Valley.
Honoring the renaming came amid a flurry of announcements from the USGA during its annual meeting in New York. The subject of those updates was word that the Inverness Club had been awarded the 2045 US Open, the return of a championship for a club that has hosted six majors but has not played a national championship since 1979. In other championship site news, the National Golf Links of America has been selected to host the 2040 Walker Cup; Cypress Point Club to host 2042 Curtis Cup and 2048 Walker Cup; and Seminole Golf Club was awarded the 2046 Curtis Cup and 2052 Walker Cup.
