Western Junior History
First held at Chicago Golf Club in 1914, the Western Junior is the oldest national junior tournament in the United States. Each year, it draws the top junior players from more than 40 states and around the world. The event has long been a testing ground for stars of the future, including current PGA TOUR standouts Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Rickie Fowler and legends Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Fred Couples and Corey Pavin.
The field is limited to 156 entrants. Competition begins with 36 holes of stroke play, after which the field is cut to the low 44 and ties. Those who make the cut will play 36 more holes of stroke play in hopes of winning the coveted Western Junior title.
The top three finishers and ties receive exemptions into the Western Amateur.
Western Junior Champions
| Year | Player | Score | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Parker Sands | 270 | Ruth Lake Country Club |
| 2023 | Hans Risvaer | 270 | Midlothian Country Club |
| 2022 | Eduardo Derbez-Torres | 280 | Naperville Country Club |
| 2021 | Caleb Surratt | 277 | Onwentsia Club |
| 2020 | No Championship | ||
| 2019 | Piercen Hunt | 278 | Rich Harvest Farms |
| 2018 | Jeff Doty | 133* | Evanston Golf Club |
| 2017 | William Mouw | 266 | Park Ridge Country Club |
| 2016 | Sean Maruyama | 278 | Red Run Golf Club |
| 2015 | Chun An Yu | 280 | Riverside Golf Club |
| 2014 | KK Limbhasut | 278 | Flossmoor Country Club |
| 2013 | Collin Morikawa | 271 | Meridian Hills Country Club |
| 2012 | Adam Wood | 279 | The Country Club of Florida |
| 2011 | Connor Black | 285 | The Beverly Country Club |
| 2010 | Patrick Rodgers | 275 | Blue Mound Golf & Country Club |
| 2009 | Zack Fischer | 281 | University of Texas Golf Club |
| 2008 | Cory Whitsett | 268 | Sea Island Golf Club |
| 2007 | Cody Gribble | 282 | Wakonda Club |
| 2006 | Jhared Hack | 281 | Cantigny Golf |
| 2005 | Rickie Fowler | 272 | Blythefield Country Club |
| 2004 | Jamie Lovemark | 273 | Denver Country Club |
| 2003 | Brady Schnell | 290 | Rich Harvest Links |
| 2002 | Brett Lange | 275 | Sea Island Golf Club |
| 2001 | Jonathan Moore | 279 | The Honors Course |
| 2000 | Buck Williams | 287 | Kampen Golf Course |
| 1999 | Hunter Mahan | 266 | Treetops Sylvan Resort |
| 1998 | David Wagenseller | 3 & 2 | Exmoor Country Club |
| 1997 | Nick Cassini | 4 & 3 | East Lake Golf Club |
| 1996 | Andy Rapp | 3 & 2 | Edina Country Club |
| 1995 | James Driscoll | 4 & 3 | The Homestead |
| 1994 | Brad Elder | 2 & 1 | University of Michigan Golf Course |
| 1993 | Michael Jones | 1 up | University Ridge Golf Course |
| 1992 | John Curley | 4 & 2 | Chicago Golf Club |
| 1991 | Trip Kuehne | 1 up | Michigan State University |
| 1990 | Kelly Mitchum | 2 & 1 | Pinehurst CC #4 & Pinewild CC |
| 1989 | Craig Darling | 3 & 2 | University of Illinois |
| 1988 | Chris Smith | 5 & 4 | Cog Hill Golf & Country Club |
| 1987 | Jim Furyk | 7 & 5 | Michigan State University |
| 1986 | John Worrell | 2 & 1 | Duke University Golf Course |
| 1985 | Don Edwards | 3 & 2 | Ohio State University |
| 1984 | Steve LaMontagne | 5 & 4 | Lone Palm Golf Club |
| 1983 | Brad Meek | 1 up | Lincolnshire Fields Country Club |
| 1982 | Jim Benepe | 4 & 3 | Travis Pointe Country Club |
| 1981 | Gregg VonThaden | 2 up | Ohio State University |
| 1980 | Eugene Elliott | 3 & 2 | Purdue University |
| 1979 | Willie Wood | 6 & 4 | University of Alabama |
| 1978 | Bob Clampett | 2 & 1 | University of New Mexico |
| 1977 | Gary Wilks | 5 & 3 | Purdue University |
| 1976 | Gary Hallberg | 1 up | Eugene Country Club |
| 1975 | Britt Harrison | 2 & 1 | Stillwater Golf & Country Club |
| 1974 | Edwin Fisher, Jr. | 1 up | University of Minnesota |
| 1973 | Tommy Jones | 4 & 3 | Duke University |
| 1972 | Dennis Sullivan | 5 & 4 | Ohio State University |
| 1971 | Richard Brooke | 3 & 2 | University of Iowa |
| 1970 | Jeff Reaume | 4 & 3 | University of Michigan |
| 1969 | Jim Simons | 6 & 5 | University of Illinois |
| 1968 | Don Hawken | 4 & 2 | Stanford University |
| 1967 | Mike Goodart | 4 & 3 | Purdue University |
| 1966 | Ross Elder | 3 & 2 | Indiana University |
| 1965 | John Richart | 3 & 2 | University of Iowa |
| 1964 | Jim Wiechers | 3 & 1 | Air Force Academy |
| 1963 | George Boutell | 4 & 3 | Ohio State University |
| 1962 | George Shortridge | 1 up | University of Minnesota |
| 1961 | Phil Marston | 2 & 1 | Michigan State University |
| 1960 | Labron Harris, Jr. | 9 & 8 | University of New Mexico |
| 1959 | Steve Spray | 9 & 7 | University of Illinois |
| 1958 | Jack Rule | 5 & 4 | University of Iowa |
| 1957 | Don Essig, III | 5 & 3 | Purdue University |
| 1956 | Dick Foote | 3 & 1 | University of Michigan |
| 1955 | Gerald McFerren | 1 up | Manor CC |
| 1954 | Herbert Klontz | 1 up | University of Illinois |
| 1953 | Henry Loeb | 5 & 3 | Stanford University |
| 1952 | Don Nichols | 4 & 3 | University of Minnesota |
| 1951 | Hillman Robbins, Jr. | 3 & 2 | University of Iowa |
| 1950 | Dean Lind | 7 & 6 | University of Notre Dame |
| 1949 | Dean Lind | 2 & 1 | University of Michigan |
| 1948 | Gene Coulter | 4 & 2 | Purdue University |
| 1947 | Tom Veech | 1 up | Northwestern University |
| 1946 | Mac Hunter | 1 up | Iowa State College |
| 1945 | No Championship | ||
| 1944 | No Championship | ||
| 1943 | No Championship | ||
| 1942 | William Witzleb | 2 & 1 | Elmhurst CC & Ridgemoor CC |
| 1941 | Ben Downing | 7 & 6 | Iowa State College |
| 1940 | Ben Downing | 5 & 4 | Mill Road Farm Golf Club |
| 1939 | Sam Kocsis | 1 up | University of Michigan |
| 1938 | Charles Betcher | 3 & 2 | University of Minnesota |
| 1937 | John Holstrom | 1 up | Cherry Hills Golf Club |
| 1936 | Sid Richardson | 4 & 3 | Sunset Ridge Country Club |
| 1935 | Fred Haas, Jr. | 7 & 6 | Oakland Hills Country Club |
| 1934 | Fred Haas, Jr. | 3 & 2 | Hinsdale Golf Club |
| 1933 | Frank Bredall | 2 up | Normandie Golf Club |
| 1932 | John Banks | 7 & 5 | Medinah Country Club |
| 1931 | Robert Cochran | 7 & 6 | Midlothian Country Club |
| 1930 | C.K. Collins | 5 & 4 | Flossmoor Country Club |
| 1929 | Fred Lyon | 5 & 4 | La Grange Country Club |
| 1928 | Dick Mullin | 5 & 4 | Glenview Club |
| 1927 | Albert Hakes | 1 up | Indian Hill Club |
| 1926 | Sam Albert | 2 & 1 | Edgewater Golf Club |
| 1925 | Emerson Carey, Jr. | 6 &5 | Big Oaks Golf Club |
| 1924 | Eldridge Robinson | 3 & 2 | Briargate Golf Club |
| 1923 | Ira Couch | 2 & 1 | Westmoreland Country Club |
| 1922 | Kenneth Hisert | 4 & 2 | Olympia Fields Country Club |
| 1921 | Burton Mudge, Jr. | 5 & 3 | Belle Meade Country Club |
| 1920 | Harold Martin | 1 up | Bob O'Link Golf Club |
| 1919 | Howard Sassman | 4 & 3 | Flossmoor Country Club |
| 1918 | No Championship | ||
| 1917 | Frederick Wright | 5 & 4 | Exmoor Country Club |
| 1916 | John Simpson | 4 & 3 | Hinsdale Golf Club |
| 1915 | DeWitt Balch | 2 & 1 | Midlothian Country Club |
| 1914 | Charles Grimes | 6 & 5 | |