Beginning June 17, 156 players will compete at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California for the 121st U.S. Open Championship trophy.
In the field are 96 AJGA alumni including seven of the nine amateurs competing.
It's time for the ultimate test at Torrey Pines.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 17, 2021
Of the nine U.S. Open past champions, six are AJGA alumni:
- Bryson DeChambeau (2020)
- Dustin Johnson (2016)
- Martin Kaymer (2014)
- Brooks Koepka (2017, 2018)
- Rory McIlroy (2011)
- Justin Rose (2013)
- Webb Simpson (2012)
- Jordan Spieth (2015)
- Gary Woodland (2019)
Alumni Simpson, Spieth and Woodland have previously hosted AJGA tournaments alongside Rose, who supported the Junior All-Star Invitational.
Spieth, who played college golf at Texas, compiled a top junior golf career. In 2009, Spieth was also named Rolex Junior Player of the Year and was a three-time first team Rolex Junior All-American (2008, 2009 and 2010).
Spieth won five AJGA tournaments including the 2007 Junior All-Star at Walnut Creek, 2008 The PING Invitational, 2008 AJGA Championship at Traditions, 2010 The PING Invitational, and 2011 HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods (known now as the AJGA Simplify Boys Champion at Carlton Woods).
Later this summer, Spieth will host his eighth AJGA tournament in Dallas.
Simpson, who played college golf at Wake Forest University, was named first-team Rolex Junior All-American in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. He won the 2001 AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions and had 12 additional top-10 finishes in AJGA tournaments from 1999-2004.
As a professional, Simpson has supported the AJGA's ACE Grant , which provides financial assistance to young men and women who aspire to earn a college golf scholarship through competitive junior golf.
Spieth, Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed, and Billy Horschel also support the ACE Grant through annual endowments.
There are six former Rolex Junior Players of the Year in the field:
- Akshay Bhatia (2018)
- Sam Burns (2014)
- Scott Scheffler (2013)
- Jordan Spieth (2009),
- Brian Harman (2003, 2004)
- Phil Mickelson (1986, 1987, 1988)
Two notable AJGA alumni competing as amateurs are Pierceson Coody and Cole Hammer. Coody and Hammer are teammates and rising seniors at the University of Texas. Coody won two AJGA tournaments: the 2016 Under Armour® / Jordan Spieth Championship and 2018 Thunderbird International Junior. He is currently the No. 3 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Hammer was a three-time Rolex Junior All-American in 2015, 2016, and 2017. He also won the 2015 Junior All-Star at Watters Creek. This is Hammer's third U.S. Open. In 2015, he became the third-youngest competitor in U.S. Open history at 15 years, nine months and 21 days.
2021 U.S. Open participants who are hosting AJGA tournaments in 2021
- Burns and Griffin for the first time:
- Sergio Garcia (Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation Junior Championship )
- Lanto Griffin (The Lanto Junior Championship )
- Stewart Cink (Stewart Cink Championship by Transamerica )
- Patrick Reed (Insperity Invitational / Patrick Reed AJGA Junior Championship )
- Sam Burns (Sam Burns Classic at The Landings Club )
- Jordan Spieth (Under Armour® / Jordan Spieth Championship )
- Justin Thomas (Justin Thomas Junior Championship )
- Billy Horschel (Billy Horschel Junior Championship presented by Zurich )