The 2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball is shaping up to be an unforgettable showdown in the Arizona desert. For the 11th time, the USGA championship will bring together 128 of the best amateur duos, and this year, all eyes are on the reigning teenage champions who are ready to defend their title.
Will Hartman, 19, from Charlotte, North Carolina, and Tyler Mawhinney, 18, from Fleming Island, Florida, made history in 2025 as the fourth teen duo ever to win a USGA championship. Their chemistry on the course is undeniable, and it's about to get even stronger—Hartman is already a freshman on Vanderbilt's men's golf team, and Mawhinney will join him as a Commodore teammate this fall. For now, though, their focus is squarely on another Four-Ball trophy.
The stage is set at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona, where the rugged beauty of desert golf will test every shot. The stroke-play rounds will unfold on the Outlaw course, while the high-stakes match play shifts to the legendary Cochise course, designed by Jack Nicklaus. Golf fans with a sense of history will recognize Cochise as the former home of the PGA Tour Champions major, The Tradition, from 1989 to 2001. Desert Mountain has also hosted the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur (1999) and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship (2012, 2014–2016), cementing its reputation as a championship venue.
"We feel a little obligation to make sure that we're part of the golf community of Arizona," said Damon DiOrio, General Manager and CEO of Desert Mountain Club. "Giving back to amateur golf at the First Tee or the Arizona Junior Golf, with seven golf courses [at Desert Mountain], we want to be a presence in the United States, but really that starts with the local community and making sure we have championship golf here in Arizona."
Being one of the rare West Coast hosts adds extra significance for the club. "Most of the championships in the clubs up and down the East Coast are going 10–12 years out to get a championship," DiOrio noted. "There's not as many courses on the West Coast to do that, so we love the fact that we can bring championship golf to Arizona, and we're going to be committed to it."
The tournament runs from Saturday, May 16, through Wednesday, May 20, 2026. The opening rounds (May 16–17) feature 18 holes of stroke play each day, followed by a cut to the top 32 teams. From there, the intensity ramps up with round-of-32 and round-of-16 matches on Monday, May 18, quarterfinal matches on Tuesday, May 19, and the semifinals and championship match on Wednesday, May 20.
Whether you're a die-hard golf fan or just love a good underdog story, the 2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball at Desert Mountain promises drama, skill, and a celebration of the game at its purest level.