Donald Ross Junior Championship
Pinehurst's December championship, founded in 1947 in memory of Donald Ross
December 27–30, 2026
Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, NC
- Applications opened October 7, 2026 and close November 16, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET. Pinehurst says submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance, and the finalized field is sent by November 18.
- Exempt players are accepted first, by exemption status. Non-exempt players are then accepted first come, first served, and are asked not to pay when registering.
- Entry fee $375. Field caps: 72 players across all girls' divisions; boys 11 & under 35, boys 12-14 90, boys 15-18 180.
- Withdraw before entries close on November 16 for a full refund. After the close, a cancellation before December 22 is refunded less a $30 processing fee.
- December 27: in-person registration from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., practice rounds and the player dinner. Accepted players are sent a link on December 21 to book one complimentary practice round.
- Championship rounds December 28-30: all girls and boys 11 & under on No. 1, boys 12-14 on No. 8, boys 15-18 on No. 4 and No. 5. Players in the 12-14 and 15-18 divisions must walk. Pull and push carts are allowed.
- The Parent/Child Tournament follows on December 31, 2026 on Pinehurst No. 2 and No. 4, with a $250 parent entry fee. Its registration opens after the field is released.
Dates from Pinehurst Resort: Donald Ross Junior Championship, checked October 10, 2026. Confirm entry details with the organizer; Tessaira does not run this event.
Format, field and entry below come from Tessaira's profile of the event, not from the 2026 edition's own pages. The organizer's current entry rules decide.
Format
Three championship rounds, December 28-30 in 2026, with shotgun starts each day and each division on its assigned course. Boys and girls play in three age divisions: 11 & under, 12-14 and 15-18. Caddies are permitted only in the 11 & under divisions. Players in the 12-14 and 15-18 divisions must walk, and pull or push carts are allowed.
Field
200+ players · By application: exempt players first, then first come, first served
2026 caps: 72 girls across all divisions, and 35, 90 and 180 in the three boys' divisions
Application tip
Apply inside the window: for 2026, applications opened October 7 and close November 16 at 8 p.m. ET, and incomplete or late entries are not accepted. Check the exemption list first. Exempt players are accepted first and can pay when registering. Non-exempt players are accepted first come, first served after that and are asked not to pay when registering. Either way, wait for the confirmation or alternate email, due by November 18, before booking travel that cannot be changed.
The story
The Donald Ross Junior Championship was established in 1947 as a memorial to Donald Ross, the Scottish golf course architect, and it is played every December at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Pinehurst says more than 200 juniors come each year, and the 2026 championship is the 79th. The 2026 edition runs December 27-30. December 27 is for in-person registration, practice rounds and the player dinner, and the three championship rounds follow on December 28, 29 and 30 with shotgun starts. Boys and girls compete in three age divisions, 11 & under, 12-14 and 15-18, and each division has its course: No. 1 for all girls and boys 11 & under, No. 8 for boys 12-14, and No. 4 and No. 5 for boys 15-18. Carts are prohibited during play. Caddies are allowed only in the 11 & under divisions, and players 12 and older walk, with pull or push carts permitted. Entry is by application, and an application is not a place in the field. Pinehurst accepts exempt players first, in order of exemption status, then fills the remaining places with non-exempt players first come, first served. The 2026 exemption list includes past Donald Ross champions and top finishers, the top 20 at the North & South Junior, the top 100 in the AJGA and Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings as of November 10, 2026, the top 30 in the Carolinas Golf Association rankings as of August 31, individual high school state champions and the leading Winternational Junior Series players. A Parent/Child Tournament follows on December 31 on Pinehurst No. 2 and No. 4. It is played as alternate shot with selected drive, the Chapman format, and is open only to players who competed in the championship.
The venue
The 2026 championship rounds are on four Pinehurst Resort courses: No. 1 for all girls' divisions and boys 11 & under, No. 8 for boys 12-14, and No. 4 and No. 5 for boys 15-18. The Parent/Child Tournament on December 31 is on No. 2 and No. 4. Carts are prohibited during play, and pull and push carts are permitted on every course.
Course setup: Pinehurst's championship page lists the courses but not yardages or setup: No. 1 for all girls and boys 11 & under, No. 8 for boys 12-14, No. 4 and No. 5 for boys 15-18, and No. 2 and No. 4 for the Parent/Child Tournament. Ask the tournament office for your division's yardage before the practice round.
Coach verdict
Pinehurst does not publish college coach attendance for this championship, so do not plan the trip around a promised gallery. What the organizer does publish is the exemption list, which puts ranked players and champions of named events in the field first. If a coach is already following your golfer, tell them the division and course before the week and send the result after it.
Best for: Open to boys and girls age 18 or under who have not completed high school, in three divisions: 11 & under, 12-14 and 15-18. The 12-14 and 15-18 divisions walk without a caddie, while the 11 & under divisions may use one. The largest field is boys 15-18, capped at 180 in 2026.
College scouting: Not published by the organizer
Competitive insight
Each division plays its assigned course on all three days in 2026, with boys 15-18 split across No. 4 and No. 5. That makes the practice round worth planning. Pinehurst guarantees each player one complimentary practice round, booked through a link sent on December 21, and boys 15-18 choose either No. 5 or No. 4 for it. Rounds start by shotgun between 10 and 11 a.m., so a whole division is on the course in the same conditions.
What makes it different
Notable alumni
Is it worth the travel?
high valueThe entry fee is $375 and includes one complimentary practice round. A parent who plays the Parent/Child Tournament pays $250. Pinehurst lists tournament accommodations as to be announced, so price rooms yourself for December 27-30, and through December 31 if staying for the Parent/Child Tournament. Spectator carts are $50 a round for those who qualify.
Is my golfer good enough, or am I kidding myself?
The number nobody will tell you straight, against Tessaira's own scoring ranges for college golf, including when it is too early to say. Free, with no account needed.
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