The USGA is making big changes to qualifying for its premier amateur events. Here’s what you need to know

Golf Digest Middle East — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 06:20:17 +0000

Getting into four of the USGA’s premier amateur championships will be both a little easier and a little harder starting in 2024.

On Wednesday, the governing body announced what it characterised as the most significant changes to its amateur championship qualifying model in more than 20 years. Starting next year, the US Amateur, US Women’s Amateur, US Junior and US Girls’ Junior will adjust the number of players exempt directly into the championships as well as expand exemption categories and adjust how it conducts qualifiers to fill out the championship fields.

The biggest structural changes will occur with the US Amateur, which boasts a field of 312 each year. That number will remain the same but starting in 2024, there will be two stages of qualifying for the championship: an 18-hole local qualifier at 45 sites followed by an 18-hole final qualifier at 19 sites. Previously golfers have been competing in one 36-hole qualifier to try to earn their way in. The US Amateur first employed qualifying events for the championship in 1931.

While adding another qualifier makes it a bit more onerous for some players trying to get into the field, top-ranked amateurs will have more direct access as the USGA will increase the number of players fully exempt off the World Amateur Golf Ranking from 50 to 100. Additionally, the top 600 players off the WAGR will be exempt from the local qualifying.

The USGA also will create still-to-be-determined exemptions for state, Allied Golf Association, regional and national amateur champions.

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Tournament favourite Megha Ganne disqualified from Girls’ Junior after first-round mishap

Golf Digest Middle East — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 05:19:38 +0000

By Gabrielle Herzig
It was a tough Monday for the top draw at the US Girls’ Junior Championship.

Incoming Stanford freshman Megha Ganne, ranked No. 16 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, was disqualified from the first round of stroke play qualifying after signing an incorrect scorecard. Ganne told Golf Digest that she signed for a par on the par-4 17th hole at the Club at Olde Stone in Bowling Green, Kentucky, when she made bogey. She made USGA officials aware and she was disqualified.

“I signed for a 70 instead of a 71, by accident,” Ganne told Golf Digest. “I checked my hole-by-hole scores but must’ve unknowingly glanced over it. I notified the USGA staff as soon as I saw it incorrect on the leaderboard at lunch.”

The USGA responded, saying: “The player unknowingly signed her scorecard for a lower score, and under Rule 3.3b (3) was disqualified. She came to us shortly after realising her mistake.”

Rule 3.3b (3) states that there are two outcomes if a player signs a scorecard with an incorrect score on a particular hole. If the score returned was higher than the actual score, then the player’s total score for the hole must stand, meaning they have to count their mistake. In the case of a returned score that was lower than the player’s actual score, the result is always disqualification.

Ganne, 18, just competed on the US Curtis Cup team at Merion Golf Club earlier this summer and was a heavy favourite to win the US Girls’ championship. She was the highest ranked amateur in the field and was the player with the most US Girls’ Junior appearances in the field (four).

The field at the Girls’ Junior is now down to 155 players and the top 64 after Tuesday will advance to the match-play portion of the event. The 36-hole championship match is scheduled for Saturday.

Ganne already has some outstanding accomplishments under her belt from junior, amateur, and even professional golf. Fans may remember her from the 2021 US Women’s Open at the Olympic Club, where she played her way into Sunday’s final pairing with Yuko Saso and Lexi Thompson. The New Jersey native even shared the lead after the first round, shooting an opening 67.

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The USGA is making big changes to qualifying for its premier amateur events. Here’s what you need to know

Tournament favourite Megha Ganne disqualified from Girls’ Junior after first-round mishap