Western Junior Championship
The Western Golf Association's national junior championship for boys, first played in 1914
June 21–24, 2027
Windsong Farm Golf Club (South Course), Independence, MN
- The 109th playing, on the South Course, and Windsong Farm's first time hosting the Western Junior.
- The 2027 application page was not published as of September 25, 2026. In 2026, entries ran February 4 to May 1.
The 2026 edition was played June 15–18, 2026.
Dates from Western Golf Association: Western Junior future sites, checked September 25, 2026. Confirm entry details with the organizer; Tessaira does not run this event.
The story
The Western Junior Championship was first played in 1914 at Chicago Golf Club. The Western Golf Association, which runs it, describes it as the oldest national junior golf championship in the United States, 34 years older than the U.S. Junior. The winner receives the Milton Woodard Trophy, and the top three finishers and ties earn exemptions into the Western Amateur. The 108th Western Junior was played June 15-18, 2026 at Knollwood Club in Lake Forest, Illinois, where Andrew Sciortino of Brentwood, Tennessee won by nine shots at 7-under 277. The 109th goes to the South Course at Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, Minnesota, June 21-24, 2027, the course's first time hosting. Under the 2026 rules the championship was open to male amateurs at least 12 years old who had not turned 19 by June 18, 2026, with a World Handicap System index of 3.0 or lower and no place on a college golf team. Exempt categories were accepted automatically, space permitting; other eligible players applied for a special-consideration exemption with a golf resume. Past champions named by the WGA include Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Rodgers, Jim Furyk, Hunter Mahan and Jamie Lovemark.
The venue
The Western Junior moves between host clubs. The 109th playing, June 21-24, 2027, goes to the South Course at Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, Minnesota, just west of Minneapolis, for its first time hosting. The South Course was designed by John Fought and Tom Lehman, opened in 2003, and is listed at 7,552 yards and par 71. The 108th, in 2026, was at Knollwood Club in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Course setup: The 2027 host, Windsong Farm's South Course, is listed by the WGA at 7,552 yards and par 71, a John Fought and Tom Lehman design that opened in 2003. Check the WGA's championship information closer to the event for the setup the field will actually play.
Format
72 holes of stroke play. After 36 holes the field is cut to the low 44 and ties, and the final 36 holes are played on the last day. The top three finishers and ties earn exemptions into the Western Amateur.
Cut: Yes
Field
156 (maximum) · Exempt categories, then applications
Exempt categories first, then special-consideration applications (2026 rules).
Coach verdict
The credential is the championship itself: more than a century of history, a champions list the WGA says includes Collin Morikawa and Rickie Fowler, and Western Amateur exemptions for the top three and ties.
Best for: Boys roughly 12 to 18 with a handicap index of 3.0 or lower, going by the 2026 rules (at least 12, and not yet 19 on June 18, 2026). The 2027 age cutoff is not yet published.
College scouting: The WGA doesn't publish how many college coaches attend.
Competitive insight
The day that decides the Western Junior is the last one. After a 36-hole cut to the low 44 and ties, the final 36 holes are played in a single day, which rewards stamina and a steady routine as much as a hot round. In 2026 Andrew Sciortino shot 67 in the morning and 68 in the afternoon to win by nine.
Scoring context: In 2026 Andrew Sciortino won at 7-under 277 by nine shots, the largest margin since the championship moved to 72-hole stroke play in 1999.
Application tip
Check the 2026 exempt categories against the player's record; one was a top-100 place in the Rolex AJGA or Junior Golf Scoreboard overall rankings. Players who are not exempt apply for a D-1 special-consideration exemption with a golf resume. The 2027 application page was not live as of September 25, 2026; in 2026 entries ran February 4 to May 1.
What makes it different
Notable alumni
Recent champions
| Year | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Andrew Sciortino | – |
Is it worth the travel?
high valueThe 2026 costs were a $25 application fee and a $395 entry fee. For a boy who meets the handicap standard and gets in, a national championship this old, with Western Amateur exemptions at stake, is worth the trip. The 2027 edition is just west of Minneapolis.
Is my golfer good enough, or am I kidding myself?
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