The unofficial opening major of the amateur golf season returns to one of the game’s most storied coastal venues this week as the Jones Cup Invitational tees off at Ocean Forest Golf Club on Sea Island, Georgia.
For more than two decades, the Jones Cup has served as both a proving ground and a launchpad—an elite, invite-only championship where the world’s top amateurs test their games against a demanding course, winter conditions, and a field that routinely mirrors a future PGA Tour leaderboard.
From Justin Thomas and Patrick Reed to Ludvig Åberg, Corey Conners, Akshay Bhatia, and Davis Thompson, the tournament’s champions list reads like a roadmap to professional success. Winning the Jones Cup isn’t just a résumé line—it’s often a signal.
A Championship Built on Legacy and Camaraderie
Founded in 2001 by the A.W. Jones family, the Jones Cup Invitational was created to celebrate not only elite amateur golf, but the traditions and relationships that define the game at its highest non-professional level.
Played as a 54-hole individual stroke-play championship, the event brings together 78 of the top amateurs from the United States and abroad, selected entirely by invitation at the discretion of the Jones Cup Committee.
The tournament’s success and global reputation eventually led to the creation of two companion championships:
Jones Cup Junior Invitational (est. 2009)Jones Cup Senior Invitational (est. 2011)
Together, the three events form one of amateur golf’s most respected championship families, all contested annually on Sea Island.
Ocean Forest Golf Club: A Demanding Winter Test
The Jones Cup is defined as much by its venue as its field.
Ocean Forest Golf Club, a Rees Jones design that debuted in 1995, is a rare blend of seaside beauty and championship-level difficulty. Stretching along the Atlantic Ocean, the course typically demands a complete game with firm, fast fairways, coastal winds, and exacting green complexes—especially along a closing stretch that rewards nerve and precision.
Ocean Forest has previously hosted the 2001 Walker Cup, the Southern Amateur, and the Georgia State Amateur, and January conditions often add another layer of complexity. Frost delays, heavy coastal air, and shorter daylight hours have routinely turned final rounds into endurance tests.
A Field Defined by Selection, Not Qualification
Unlike most elite amateur championships, the Jones Cup is invite-only, with invitations extended based on a combination of rankings and results across the most competitive pipelines in the sport, including WAGR, top junior and collegiate performance, and national team consideration.
Events given significant weight in the selection process include:
U.S. Amateur and U.S. JuniorNCAA ChampionshipBritish Amateur and European AmateurWestern Amateur, Southern Amateur, Sunnehanna Amateur, Porter Cup, and Northeast AmateurWalker Cup squad representation (U.S. and Great Britain & Ireland)
A limited Monday qualifier offers just three spots into the main field, making it one of the most competitive one-day qualifiers in amateur golf.
Recent Champions and a Proven Pathway
The Jones Cup’s recent winners underscore why the event is viewed as a barometer for future success:
2025 – Gray Albright2024 – Jacob Modleski2023 – David Ford2022 – Palmer Jackson2021 – Ludvig Åberg2020 – Davis Thompson2019 – Akshay Bhatia
Past champions have combined for 35+ PGA Tour victories, and several—including Åberg—won professionally at Sea Island shortly after turning pro. Winning here often signals a player’s game is already tour-ready.
Why the Jones Cup Matters
Among players, coaches, and national team evaluators, the Jones Cup holds a unique place on the calendar:
It opens the competitive season for many elite playersIt rewards complete, pressure-ready games, not just low scoringIt often presents major-championship-like conditionsIt consistently features international depth
There are no exemptions, no safety nets, and no weak fields—only 54 holes to prove you belong.
2026 Jones Cup Invitational Tournament InformationEvent: Jones Cup InvitationalDates: January 8–11, 2026Venue: Ocean Forest Golf ClubLocation: Sea Island, GeorgiaFormat: 54-hole individual stroke playField: 78 players (invite-only)A Season Begins on the Coast
As the amateur golf world turns the page to a new year, the Jones Cup Invitational once again sets the tone.
History suggests that when the final putt drops at Ocean Forest, at least one name near the top of the leaderboard will soon be familiar on Sunday afternoons at the professional level.
And for those watching closely, the road to the next generation of stars begins here—on the windswept fairways of Sea Island.
