Canadian Am Win Gets USNJT’s Mawhinney Spot into U.S. Amateur

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Tyler Mawhinney was supposed to begin his junior year at Fleming Island (Fla.) High School on Tuesday. But a surprisingly nice result last Friday north of the border put a delay into those plans.

One of the last players into the field of the 119th Canadian Amateur at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the 16-year-old became the last man standing, not only winning the title but gaining an exemption into this week’s 124th U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club and stroke-play co-host Chaska Town Course.

Mawhinney didn’t go through the experience alone. Chris Zambri, the head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team, served as his caddie, and assistant coach Tiffany Joh, a two-time USGA champion, was along for support. In March, Mawhinney was one of 18 juniors – 10 girls and eight boys – named to the USGA’s inaugural U.S. National Junior Team as part of the U.S. National Development Program.

Mawhinney, whose biggest victory prior to last week was the American Junior Golf Association’s 2023 Rolex Tournament of Champions, was just the latest success story from the nascent program.

In May, Asterisk Talley won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball (with partner Sarah Lim) on top of her victory in the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, then shared low-amateur honors in the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally and reached the final match of both the U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Two weeks after Talley’s win, Blades Brown followed up a T-26 in the PGA Tour’s Myrtle Beach Classic by reaching the final of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball (with partner Jackson Herrington) and was the medalist in the U.S. Junior Amateur. Miles Russell, the 2023 AJGA Player of the Year, also posted a T-20 finish on the Korn Ferry Tour (youngest to ever make a cut on that circuit) and competed in the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic before advancing to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Junior Amateur, the same event where Tyler Watts reached the title match.

Gianna Clemente, the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball winner (with Avery Zweig) advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Girls’ Junior, and Scarlett Schremmer made a run to the quarterfinals, losing to Talley.

Part of the National Junior Team’s mission is to help prepare the next generation of talent for the highest levels of the game. That included a multi-day camp held at the Atlanta Athletic Club in May to introduce the players to the coaching staff and enter the players into international competitions. Zambri immediately departed Canada to take four girls – Mia Hammond, Shyla Brown, Angela Zhang and Emerie Schartz – to the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship in England. Mawhinney and Michael Riebe went to the Canadian Amateur.

"I definitely think Tyler’s win is helpful to what we are trying to do with the USNDP," said Zambri.  "At a minimum, the two players, Tyler and Michael, and the two coaches, Tiffany Joh and myself, had a ton of quality time together. They are both great people and fun to be with, and that made for enjoyable trip.  In addition, I think by being able to caddie for them, we were able to pass along some tournament prep work that was new to them and should help them going forward."  

Mawhinney, fresh off a tie for 15th in the Boy’s Junior PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club, and Riebe were late additions by Zambri to the Canadian Amateur. The entry came in time for both players to fly to Canada, get some practice rounds in on the two venues – Saskatoon Golf & Country Club was used as a co-host with the final two rounds at Riverside C.C. – and then compete.

Mawhinney went wire-to-wire against a strong field that included defending champion and 2024 U.S. Open qualifier Ashton McCulloch, and elite mid-amateur Garrett Rank, a full-time NHL referee who was the runner-up in the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur and qualified for the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

In fact, Mawhinney had to hold off both players down the stretch for a one-stroke victory, posting a 72-hole total of 15-under 273. His final-round 69, which included a triple bogey on the par-4 third hole, was highlighted by what he deemed “the greatest shot of his life” with a near-ace on the 178-yard, 17th hole, ripping an 8-iron to tap-in range for what proved to be the championship-clinching birdie. 

After the prize ceremony, several people asked Mawhinney what was next, and a few mentioned Hazeltine, a perk that has gone to the Canadian Am champ. He also gets a spot in next year’s RBC Canadian Open, a PGA Tour event.

"Tyler has a very strong game," said Zambri. "He's got length, and he controls the ball tee to green very well for someone of any age. Coach Joh and I believe this win could be a huge shot in the arm for Tyler.  We really hope he has another great week at Hazeltine." 

All of this came after the disappointment of being the only U.S. National Junior Team member not to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur two weeks earlier at Oakland Hills Country Club. Mawhinney said he didn’t use that as motivation, but after taking the lessons learned from his USNJT coaches, he mentally was prepared to face this latest challenge.

“I went into the tournament like I normally would,” said Mawhinney on Sunday before his practice round at Chaska Town Course. “A lot of people pointed out that I was the only [National Junior Team member] not there and asked why I wasn’t there.

“I didn’t have a whole lot of nerves. It’s not that I don’t get nervous, but I don’t let that consume me. I think I use it more to motivate me.”

Zambri is big on analytics, and he’s infused his philosophy into the national program. Mawhinney’s father, Joe, is an actuary so he’s always been around numbers. For him, it’s about focusing on the right ones and not being overwhelmed by stats.

“Last week, I learned that a crosswind is actually a hurting wind, not just coming across,” said Mawhinney of the little intangibles Zambri is teaching his charges. “It’s stuff you wouldn’t think of that those guys have been through for 20-plus years.

“I’ve learned a lot on the smarter way to play. I’m thinking my way around the golf course a lot better. We can all hit it straight and putt well, but it’s just more the little things that big-time amateurs and pros do.”

Mawhinney, the reigning Florida 3A high school champion, is joined in the U.S. Amateur field this week by fellow National Team members Brown, Russell, Watts, Henry Guan and Michael Riebe. Also here is one of the men he beat in Canada, McCulloch, as well as 18 of the top players, according to the World Amateur Golf Ranking®.

He might be a little gassed from last week’s whirlwind, but Mawhinney is excited to see how he can build off that huge win.

And get a few extra days off from school.

David Shefter is a senior staff writer at the USGA. Email him at dshefter@usga.org.