A scan of the list of former US Women’s Amateur champions demonstrates how prestigious an event it is.
Former winners of the tournament include Juli Inkster, Morgan Pressell, Danielle Kang and Lydia Ko, while one of the game’s rising stars, Rose Zhang, lifted the trophy in 2020.
This year, the action comes from Bandon Dunes, with a 36-hole final taking place on Sunday between the two remaining players from an initial field of 156, with the pair going head-to-head in a match play format for the title.
It’s not just the prestige of winning one of the game’s biggest amateur events that the finalists will be aiming for, though.
There are several attractive, and potentially life-changing, perks on the table, too. Here are seven of the most notable.
The Robert Cox Trophy
The player who lifts the Robert Cox trophy on Sunday evening will be holding a genuine piece of golf history.
The silverware is the USGA trophy that has been around the longest, having initially been awarded to the winner way back in 1896, when Beatrix Hoyt claimed the title in just the second year of the event.
The trophy is named after the man who donated the trophy, a Scot who graduated from the University of St Andrews before becoming a member of parliament.
The trophy’s design has long won admirers and includes scenes of St Andrews along with a tartan pattern on the base.
Permanent Prizes
Like other USGA events, a gold medal is awarded to the winner, which she gets to keep.
That’s not the only piece of hardware the winner receives. While the trophy is housed at the USGA Museum and Library, the champion is awarded a two-foot replica.
Name Engraved On Plaque
Another permanent reminder of the winner’s achievement comes with the engraving of their name on the 2025 USGA Champions’ plaque, that will then be displayed at the USGA Museum’s Hall of Champions in New Jersey.
Major Starts
The prospect of Major starts for the winner is surely one of the biggest perks. That includes a place at the 2026 US Women’s Open.
In 2026, it will be held at one of golf’s most famous venues, Riviera Country Club, for the first time, adding to the appeal.
Meanwhile, even though it’s not official, the winner also typically receives invites to three of the other four women’s Majors, the Chevron Championship, AIG Women’s Open and Amundi Evian Championship.
Amateur Invites
The winner also secures an exemption to the next 10 editions of the US Women’s Amateur, as long as they retain that status, while a trip to another iconic venue is also guaranteed with a place in the field for the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
WAGR Points
The tournament offers a great chance to bank some World Amateur Golf Rankings points.
The maximum points an event can offer is 25, and last year’s winner, Rianne Malixi, won 24.6230 for her defeat of Asterisk Talley at Southern Hills.
LPGA Leap Points
Winning the US Women’s Amateur also provides a big boost towards earning an LPGA Tour card.
The LPGA LEAP pathway operates in similar way to the PGA Tour University system, providing an official route to the professional tour.
Players require 20 LPGA LEAP points to secure a card, and two go to the US Women’s Amateur champion.
