Five Things to Watch at the 2026 U.S. Amateur

The 2026 U.S. Amateur is underway just outside of Philadelphia, and after 36 holes of stroke play across both Merion Golf Club’s East Course and Philadelphia Country Club, it’s (almost) time for match play.

Joshua Ryan, resident of nearby Norristown, Pennsylvania, claimed medalist honors at 8 under by two shots over Tennessee freshman Tyler Watts and will take the top seed when match play begins on the East Course later on Wednesday. However, the second round was suspended due to darkness with 10 players still on the course Tuesday night, leaving the conclusion of the round and an inevitably large playoff to finalize the bracket for the Round of 64.

Here are five things to watch over the next five days of the championship.

1. Merion East

With its wicker basket pins, famous logo, and deep history with the USGA, Merion's East Course has received most of the attention this week at the 2026 U.S. Amateur. (What’s the over/under on mentions of Ben Hogan’s 1-iron?). Hugh Wilson and William Flynn's masterful routing outside of Philadelphia is easily one of the most iconic venues in championship golf in the United States. If you want to know what makes the course so great, my colleagues Garrett Morrison and Matt Rouches recently produced a wonderful, in-depth video that makes for a great starting point. Garrett also dedicated an episode of his Designing Golf podcast to Merion’s history, which is worth a listen. Personally, there are a few holes I can't wait to watch.

No. 8 – The par 4 is one of the shorter sub-400-yard driver/wedge holes on the course, and match play strategy will be on full display. With a tree in play off the tee, will longer hitters take on the green, or lay back to a more strategic yardage for the approach? It’s not a straightforward layup, either. The front nine is full of potential for big swings in matches thanks to its short holes and birdie opportunities. I hope at least some of it gets shown during TV windows.

No. 13 – I love a good, short par 3. The 13th is the last real chance for a birdie before Merion’s brutal finish. Players taking on tougher hole locations must be exact, as a yard or two can make all the difference between birdie or double bogey, especially if the greens get firm as the week goes on.

No. 16 – Your first introduction to the stunning quarry holes at Merion. The big question on the 16th will be if players take on the great hazard short of the green if out of position off the tee. It will be fun to watch the potential carnage coming down the stretch. You’re going to see golf balls and matches lost on this hole.

As an honorable mention, the stretch from Nos. 7-13 will be fabulous to watch in match play when doubles won't matter and risks can be taken. Outside of the 2022 Curtis Cup, we haven't seen much of Merion, so getting a glimpse of Gil Hanse’s fabulous renovation work will be appointment viewing for those interested in golf course architecture. Here are the TV times for the week:

Wednesday, August 12

Round of 64: 3-6 p.m. ET (Peacock/NBCSN)

Thursday, August 13

Round of 16: 3-6 p.m. ET (Peacock/NBCSN)

Friday, August 14

Quarterfinals: 3-6 p.m. ET (Peacock/NBCSN)

Saturday, August 15

Semifinals: 3-4 p.m. ET (Peacock), 4-6 p.m. ET (NBC)

Sunday, August 16

Championship Match (36 holes): 3-4 p.m. ET (Peacock), 4-6 p.m. ET (NBC)

2. Walker Cup Watch

The 2026 Walker Cup at Lahinch is approaching, and both squads are looking to finalize their rosters at the conclusion of the U.S. Am. The U.S. team has six open spots, but realistically three are up for grabs. Jay Leng’s win at the Western Amateur has thrown a wrinkle into the proceedings, as he’s now battling with the likes of Kihei Akina, Eric Lee, Josiah Gilbert, and Jack Turner. Across the pond, Great Britain and Ireland will name five players to the team, but the big wrinkle is the top-ranked player on the team, Tyler Weaver, who withdrew from the U.S. Am and hasn't competed since the ACC Championship in April due to a back injury. Stuart Grehan would be the next man up if Tyler were not to play. Other contenders include Connor Graham — who I view as a lock — along with Sam Easterbrook, and Jack Whaley.

3. Match Play Vagary

The list of U.S. Amateur champions in the 21st century would make for a great “Where Are They Now?” episode. Bubba Dickerson, anyone? One of the beautiful things about the U.S. Am is that the best player on paper doesn’t always win. Sixty-four players in match play offer some variety of who can get hot during the week and make a run. I mean, who didn't enjoy watching Niall Sheils Donegan and Jimmy Abdo mania last summer? I always root for the underdog and there will be at least one or two great stories from the quarterfinal and semifinal matches.

4. Youngs and Olds

Between juniors and the mid-ams, there are 88 players making up both groups in this year's championship. Notably from the junior set is 17-year-old Miles Russell, the fourth-best amateur in the world and one of the favorites to win. Miles has been on a strong run of amateur golf this summer — recently sharing medalist honors and finishing runner-up at the U.S. Junior — but has yet to get it across the finish line. I wouldn't be shocked to see him in the mix come the later days of match play. A mid-am hasn't won the U.S. Amateur since John Harris in 1993, but I have some faith in my fellow mid-ams and hope to see a few contend. Likely to make his sixth Walker Cup this year, Stewart Hagestad continues to lead the way, but other mid-ams to watch this week are Matthew Lowe and Christian Cavaliere, who have been problems at Met Golf Association events all summer. Evan Beck, the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion and a reinstated amateur, is another to keep an eye on. (I’ll save my opinion on reinstated ams for a later date.)

5. Rollback Chatter

With the U.S. Open slated to make stops at Merion in 2030 and 2050 (!!!), the USGA will have a watchful eye on the proceedings this week, from potential chokepoints to how players attack the intimate 115-acre venue. In today’s technology-driven era, elite amateurs typically outpace professionals in ball-speed. Hopefully the alarming numbers these younger players produce will serve as a wake-up call for the blue blazers to get their governing hats on and finally do something to help somewhat preserve the game and its great venues. But I won’t hold my breath.