New-look final: USGA shakes it up at Pinehurst-hosted U.S. Am

There is perhaps no better venue than Pinehurst Resort to try different concepts in historic events. The USGA has announced a different twist to this summer’s Pinehurst-hosted U.S. Amateur: For the first time in the event’s 119-year history, the 36-hole championship match will be played on two different courses.

When the 2019 championship begins on Monday, Aug. 12, Pinehurst No. 2 and No. 4 will host the stroke-play rounds, which will be played as normal over two days and 36 holes to trim the field from 312 players to 64 for match play. The first five rounds of match play – through the semifinals – will be played on No. 2 from Aug. 14-17.

Here’s where the change comes into play. The championship match, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 18, will open with the morning round on No. 4, which was recently redesigned by Gil Hanse. The afternoon round will be played on No. 2, a classic Donald Ross design that was restored by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2011.

“These two courses complement each other aesthetically and strategically, and it will be fun to see how the players react and approach both courses on the day they vie for a national championship,” said Tom Pashley, president of Pinehurst Resort, which will also host its fourth U.S. Open in 2024.

Pinehurst No. 2 became the first USGA venue in history to host the U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Open in back-to-back weeks in 2014.