Tiger Woods rewrote history in both the U.S. Junior Amateur and the U.S. Amateur. Now, awards given to the winners of those events have been renamed — and redesigned — in his honour.
The USGA announced Saturday that Woods’ name will be attached to two of its most prestigious amateur prizes beginning this year.
It’s hard to imagine a more fitting recipient of such a tribute. Between 1991 and 1996, Woods captured three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur titles followed immediately by three straight U.S. Amateur victories. Either trifecta on its own would seem destined to sit alongside Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak among the most untouchable records in sports. That Woods pulled off both, back to back — well, maybe if Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Scottie Scheffler were someday reincarnated as a single player, someone might have a chance.
Under the new arrangement, the U.S. Amateur champion will receive the Tiger Woods Medal in addition to the historic Havemeyer Trophy, while the U.S. Junior Amateur trophy — previously without a secondary name — will bear Woods’ name outright.
“The USGA and its championships have played an enormous role in my life,” Woods said in a release. “The U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur were defining moments in my development, both as a golfer and as a person. To be recognized in this way is incredibly humbling, and I hope it inspires young players to chase their dreams and appreciate the history and values of the game.”
USGA CEO Mike Whan said Woods’ amateur dominance permanently reshaped expectations for elite young players.
“Tiger Woods redefined what was possible in amateur golf,” Whan said. “His achievements as a junior and amateur didn’t just set records — they set a new standard of excellence. Naming our U.S. Amateur Medal and U.S. 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 places Woods alongside a select group of legends whose names are attached to USGA championship hardware, including Jack Nicklaus (the U.S. Open medal), Mickey Wright (U.S. Women’s Open medal) and JoAnne Carner, whose namesake U.S. Women’s Amateur championship medal will be handed out for the first time this year.
The awards renamed for Woods will be handed out later this season, with the Tiger Woods Medal presented at the U.S. Amateur at Merion and the Tiger Woods Trophy awarded at the U.S. Junior Amateur at Saucon Valley.
The renaming honors arrived amid a busy stretch of announcements from the USGA during its annual meeting in New York. Headlining those updates was word that Inverness Club has been awarded the 2045 U.S. Open, a return to the championship spotlight for a club that has hosted six majors but has not staged the national championship since 1979. In other championship-site news, National Golf Links of America was selected to host the 2040 Walker Cup; Cypress Point Club will stage the 2042 Curtis Cup and 2048 Walker Cup; and Seminole Golf Club was awarded the 2046 Curtis Cup and 2052 Walker Cup.
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