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 veterans 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 | First Name | Last Name | Score | Course |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Chicago Golf Club |