DAYTON, Ohio (Monday, July 29, 2024) – The drama and excitement of the 122nd Western Amateur at historic Moraine Country Club will stream live on ESPN+ this week, bringing the thrilling conclusion of golf’s third-oldest amateur championship to an international audience.
Beginning with the Sweet 16 match play competition, the Western Golf Association will provide more than 12 hours of live streaming coverage on Friday, Aug. 2, and Saturday, Aug. 3. ESPN+ subscribers can watch on the ESPN app, ESPN.com and connected TV devices.
“We’re proud to be elevating our flagship amateur championship, providing a bigger stage for the elite players who compete for one of the most coveted titles in golf,” said John Kaczkowski, WGA president and CEO. “From legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to current stars like Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth, the best players in the game have always tested themselves at the Western Amateur. This live stream will give golf fans a front-row seat to history.”
Powered by proud partners Club Champion, Morgan Stanley, Peter Millar and Titleist, coverage will stream exclusively on ESPN+, the No. 1 sports streaming platform and home of PGA TOUR LIVE. The stream will be available in the United States, as well as Canada (on TSN+), the Caribbean and Latin America (on Disney+).
On Friday, Aug. 2, fans can watch the finish of the eight Sweet 16 matches from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. Coverage will resume from 3-6 p.m. ET for the finish of the quarterfinal matches.
On Saturday, Aug. 3, coverage of the two semifinal matches will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET. The championship match will be streamed in its entirety, with an expected starting time of 1 p.m. ET.
Live coverage will be supported by interviews, championship highlights and features on the history of the WGA, Western Amateur and Moraine Country Club. The WGA is working with Thaler Media in Palm Beach, Florida, to produce the two days of live coverage as well as pre-produced content and social media interactions with viewers. David Marr III and Tripp Isenhour will call the action, and Steve Scott – the 1999 Western Amateur champion – will provide on-course reporting.
“With an elite field of the top amateurs in the world all gathering at Moraine for the Western Amateur, golf fans are sure to see an exciting finish this weekend,” said Vince Pellegrino, WGA senior vice president of tournaments. “We’re grateful for each of the proud partners who are helping us deliver the Western Amateur to viewers across the country.”
First held in 1899, the Western Amateur features one of the deepest and strongest fields in amateur golf, as well as the game’s most grueling format. Competition includes 18-hole stroke play rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday followed by a cut to the players with the low 44 scores and ties. Those who make the cut play 36 holes of stroke play on Thursday, with the low 16 advancing to match play.
In 2023, streaming coverage included Nick Dunlap and Michael Thorbjornsen, who are both playing on the PGA TOUR this season. Dunlap has already won twice on the TOUR in 2024, once as an amateur.
The 2024 Western Amateur will feature one of the strongest fields ever, led by Auburn sophomore Jackson Koivun, who recently became the first player to sweep the Haskins, Hogan, Nicklaus and Mickelson national awards in the same season on top of winning the SEC Championship and the NCAA Team Championship.
He’ll be joined by 16 of the top 25 amateurs in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, including Christiaan Maas, a junior at Texas who finished runner-up at last year’s Western Amateur; Wenyi Ding (Arizona State); Ben James (Virginia); David Ford (North Carolina); Brendan Valdes (Auburn); Jackson Van Paris (Vanderbilt); and NCAA individual champion Hiroshi Tai (Georgia Tech).
