There are a lot of perks that come with winning the US Amateur golf championship. Aside from the Havemeyer Trophy and the title of US Amateur champion, a US Amateur winner earns entry into several majors (provided they remain an amateur), PGA Tour exemptions and other goodies.
Most of the perks are predicated on a player maintaining their amateur status for at least a year after winning the US Amateur. However, a number of the perks are not reliant on holding amateur status, including a new rule which allows the US Amateur champion to play exempt in the US Open even if they turn professional.
Let's lay out all the benefits of winning the US Amateur golf championship.
The perks of winning the US Amateur golf championship
- Prestige, obviously -- you're in a limited company of players to ever win the US Amateur
- You and the runner-up get an invite to the next year's Masters, provided you both remain an amateur
- You and the runner-up get an invite to the next year's US Open, provided you both remain an amateur (though the champion will now have the option to take the exemption even if they become a pro)
- You get an invite to the next year's British Open Championship, provided you both remain an amateur
- You almost certainly get an invite to join the Walker Cup team, if you're an American or from Great Britain or Ireland
- You get a variety of sponsor's exemptions into PGA Tour events