Whistling Straits to host three USGA Championships

Whistling Straits has been selected by the USGA as the host site for three future USGA championships, beginning with the 2028 U.S. Amateur. The 2033 U.S. Junior Amateur and 2037 U.S. Girls’ Junior will also be played on the iconic links-style Kohler, Wisconsin, courses.

“The USGA is excited to reignite our commitment with Kohler, and look forward to a long and fulfilling relationship,” USGA managing director of championships Mark Hill said. “Whistling Straits is renowned for its performance on an international stage, and we know it will challenge and thoroughly impress the world’s best amateur players.”

Whistling Straits is owned and operated by Kohler Co. and is one of two golf facilities, along with Blackwolf Run — host of the 1998 and 2012 U.S. Women’s Opens — associated with the luxury public golf resort. Sculpted along the shoreline of Lake Michigan north of Sheboygan County, the Whistling Straits courses are Pete and Alice Dye designs that pay homage to the experience of Irish links golf.

Host to four major championships and one memorable Ryder Cup, Whistling Straits features two courses, the Straits and the Irish. The Straits, the course used for each of those major events, established itself as a premier golf course each time it was featured on the world stage. Champions at Whistling Straits include Vijay Singh (2004 PGA Championship), Brad Bryant (2007 U.S. Senior Open), Martin Kaymer (2010 PGA Championship) and Jason Day (2015 PGA Championship), along with a winning USA Ryder Cup team in 2021.

Whistling Straits was originally the site of a U.S. Army aircraft training facility that housed hundreds of troops in the 1950s. Kohler Co. bought the land in 1995 and opened the course to the public in 1998, hosting the 1999 PGA Club Professional Championship just a year later. The Straits course, which is known for its numerous bunkers, was designed to resemble Ballybunion Golf Club, located in southwest Ireland.

“We are pleased to partner with the USGA to bring these prestigious golf championships to Whistling Straits, building on our legacy of hosting memorable and record-breaking events,” said Dirk Willis, VP of golf, landscape and retail. “Amateur golf is the heart of the game, while junior golf helps fuel the next generation of passionate players, and it’s a great honor to host these elite men and women over the next 10 years. We look forward to showcasing their incredible talent in front of our proud Wisconsin golf fans and providing a world-class golf experiences for all involved.”

Seventeen USGA championships have been contested in Wisconsin through the 2024 season, including one U.S. Open (2017 at Erin Hills), two U.S. Senior Opens (2007 at Whistling Straits and 2023 at SentryWorld) and one U.S. Amateur (2011 at Erin Hills).

Other future USGA events in America’s Dairyland include the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills, and the 2026 U.S. Mid-Amateur, the 2029 U.S. Junior Amateur, the 2030 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and the 2034 U.S. Girls’ Junior, all at Sand Valley Resort.