United States Amateur Championship (golf) tournament professional. Before World War II more top-level golfers chose to remain amateur, and the average age of U.S. Amateur champions was higher. Many of the leading figures in the history of golf have been U.S. Amateur Champion, including Bobby Jones five times, Jerome Travers four times, Jack Nicklaus twice and Tiger Woods three times (all consecutive; the only player to win three in a row). In 1993, Woods got knocked out to Kingshill Golf Club's Paul Page 2&1 in the last 16, but Woods' first win, as an 18-year-old in 1994, made him the youngest winner of the event,
United States Amateur Championship (golf) their amateur status at the time the events are held (unless they qualify for the tournaments by other means). As the Amateur Championship is dominated by future professionals, in 1981 a separate championship called the U.S. Mid-Amateur was established for "career amateurs" at least 25 years old. This gives the best players who never turn pro a chance to play against each other for a national title. While most players at the U.S. Amateur advance through sectional qualifying, a few players are exempt each year. In all cases, the exemptions only apply if the player has not turned professional as