Dates: June 15-18, 2026
Location: Lake Forest, Illinois
Course: Knollwood Club
Par/Yards: 71/7,201
Format: 156 players compete in a 72-hole, stroke-play championship. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the low 44 players and ties for the final two rounds.
Tee Times: Click Here
Live Scoring: GolfGenius

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Some of the best junior golfers in the world will descend on Knollwood Club this week for the 108th Western Junior Championship.

First played in 1914 and conducted by the Western Golf Association (WGA), the Western Junior is the oldest national junior golf championship in the United States. Over the past century, the championship has served as a proving ground for the game's biggest stars, including past champions Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler and Jim Furyk. Major champions Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, Hale Irwin and Billy Casper also competed in the event during their junior careers.

The championship features a 156-player field and begins with 18 holes of stroke play on Tuesday and Wednesday. The top 44 players and ties will advance to a final day of 36 holes on Thursday to determine the champion.

The winner of the 2026 Western Junior will earn a three-year exemption into the Western Amateur Championship. The top three finishers and ties will also receive exemptions into the 2026 Western Amateur, space permitting.

"This championship has long been one of the premier tests in junior golf," said Vince Pellegrino, WGA senior vice president of tournaments. "Knollwood Club provides a tremendous venue, and we're excited to welcome many of the game's most talented young players to Lake Forest for a memorable week."

This year's field is among the strongest in recent memory, featuring players from 33 states and 10 countries. More than 100 competitors have already committed to play collegiate golf at some of the nation's top programs.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Sam Carraher (Crown Point, Indiana) – The highest-ranked player in the field at No. 9 in the AJGA rankings, Carraher is committed to Purdue. He finished tied for fifth at the 2025 Western Junior and has posted impressive results over the past year, including a runner-up finish at the Rolex Tournament of Champions, a seventh at the Boys Junior PGA Championship and a fourth at The PING Invitational.

Sage Bradshaw (Bluffton, South Carolina) – The Wake Forest commit enters the week ranked No. 20 by the AJGA. Bradshaw’s record includes a tie for third at both the 2025 Jones Cup Junior Invitational and the 53rd Southern Junior Championship and a round of 16 appearance at the 77th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. He most recently tied for 15th at the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship.

Braeden Nelson (West Des Moines, Iowa) – Ranked No. 29 nationally and committed to Wisconsin, Nelson finished tied for eighth at the 2025 Western Junior. He also posted a top-10 finish at the 2025 Jones Cup Junior Invitational and captured the 2025 Iowa Golf Association Match Play Championship. He also finished 10th at the Iowa Amateur Championship that same year.

Wylie Inman (North Palm Beach, Florida) – A South Florida commit ranked No. 37 by the AJGA, Inman claimed medalist honors at The Golf Performance Academy Junior Championship in April with rounds of 73-69-67. He also won the Under Armour / Jordan Spieth Championship and finished third at the Florida Junior Tour MLK Major.

Theodore Snyder (Gig Harbor, Washington) – The Yale commit is ranked No. 59 nationally. Snyder finished third at the 2026 Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship and runner-up at the Sacramento Junior Championship. He also recorded a top-20 finish at The Dye Junior Invitational and won the 2024 Washington State Junior Amateur Championship.

LOCAL TALENT

Lester Low (Evanston) – Low enters the championship fresh off a tie for 13th at The Dye Junior Invitational. He earned his first AJGA victory earlier this year at the AJGA Junior at Geneva, posting rounds of 67-65-67, and finished runner-up at the 2025 Coca-Cola Junior Championship at The Highlands.

Liam Kelly (Winnetka) – Kelly captured the 2025 Coca-Cola Junior Championship at The Highlands. He also claimed the 2024 Illinois High School Class 3A individual state title as a sophomore at New Trier High School.

Michael Hahn (Lake Forest) – Hahn earned his spot in the field through a 36-hole qualifier at Knollwood Club. He helped lead his high school team to a fourth-place finish at the 2025 IHSA Class 2A State Championship and tied for seventh individually. As a sophomore, he also captured an individual regional title with a 1-under-par 71.

Michael Jorski (Clarendon Hills) – Jorski returns after competing in the 2025 Western Junior. His top finishes include third at the AM Technical Solutions Junior at Southpointe and sixth at the Forest Lake Junior Championship. His best AJGA result this season was a tie for 15th at the AJGA Junior at Geneva.

Owen Coniaris (Glen Ellyn) – The Auburn commit returns to the Western Junior after competing in last year's championship. Coniaris won the 2024 Illinois State Junior Amateur Championship and advanced to match play at the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills. He also recorded a tie for fourth at the Visit Goldsboro NC Junior Championship earlier this year.

To view the full field, click here.

KNOLLWOOD MAKES WGA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The 2026 Western Junior marks the first time the event has been contested at Knollwood. The club will also host the 2027 Western Amateur, becoming the first venue to host the Western Junior and Western Amateur in consecutive years.

Established in 1924, Knollwood Club is located in Lake Forest, Illinois, just north of Chicago. Designed by renowned architect C.H. Alison, a longtime associate of Harry Colt, the course stretches across 240 wooded acres and is regarded as one of the Midwest's premier championship venues.

Over the years, Knollwood has undergone thoughtful renovations led by Larry and Roger Packard and, more recently, architect Drew Rogers. Course enhancements have included tree removal, fairway widening, regrassing projects, native fescue areas and comprehensive upgrades to tees, fairways, bunkers and greens.

The club has a rich championship history, having hosted the U.S. Amateur in 1956, the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 1981 and 1982, and the Western Amateur in 2016.

HOW TO FOLLOW
Live scoring will be available throughout the championship on GolfGenius. Fans can also follow the action on the WGA Championships social media channels for live updates, highlights and results.

Attendance and parking for the Western Junior are free.