Tiger Woods rewrote history in both US junior and US amateur. Now, the awards given to the winners of those events have been renamed — and redesigned — in his honor.
The USGA announced Saturday that Woods’ name will be attached to two of its most prestigious amateur awards starting this year.
It is hard to imagine a more fitting recipient of such a tribute. Between 1991 and 1996, Woods captured three in a row Young American amateur titles followed immediately by three consecutive US amateur victories. Or the 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 both off, back-to-back — well, maybe if Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Scottie Scheffler were one day reincarnated as a single player, one might have a chance.
Under the new deal, the US amateur champion will receive the Tiger Woods medal in addition to the historic medal. The Havemeyer Trophywhile the US Junior Amateur trophy – previously without a secondary name – will retain Woods’ name in full.
“The USGA and its championships have played a huge role in my life,” Woods said in a release. “The US Junior Amateur and the American Amateur were defining moments in my development, as a golfer and as a person. To be recognized in this way is incredibly humbling and I hope it inspires young players to follow their dreams and appreciate the history and values of the game.”
USGA CEO Mike Whan said Woods’ amateur dominance forever reshaped expectations for elite young players.
“Tiger Woods redefined what was possible in amateur golf,” Whan said. “His accomplishments as a junior and amateur didn’t just set records — they set a new standard of excellence. Naming our USA Amateur Medal and USA Junior Amateur Trophy in his honor ensures that every future champion is forever linked 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 (US Open Medalist), Mickey Wright (US Open Women’s Medalist) and JoAnne Carner, whose US Women’s Amateur Championship medal will be awarded for the first time this year.
The renamed Woods awards will be presented later this season, with the Tiger Woods Medal presented at the US Amateur in Merion and the Tiger Woods Trophy presented at the US Junior Amateur in Saucon Valley.
The renaming honors arrived amid a busy stretch of announcements from the USGA during its annual meeting in New York. The title of those updates was the word that Inverness Club has been awarded the 2045 US Open, a return to the championship spotlight for a club that has hosted six major championships but has not hosted the national championship since 1979. In other championship news, the National Golf Links of America has been selected to host the 2040 Walker Cup; Cypress Point Club to host 2042 Curtis Cup and 2048 Walker Cup; and Seminole Golf Club was awarded the 2046 Curtis Cup and 2052 Walker Cup.
