University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: MARIO TERRANA
Five Tar Heels Begin U.S. Amateur Monday In Pennsylvania
August 9, 2026 | Men's Golf
Five Tar Heels are competing in the 2026 U.S. Amateur, which begins with stroke play Monday in Pennsylvania at Merion Golf Club's East Course and the Philadelphia Country Club.
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All five Tar Heels are among the 173 exempt players in the field of 312.
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Niall Sheils Donegan is exempt as a semifinalist in the 2025 U.S. Amateur, as a member of Great Britain and Ireland's Walker Cup team and a top-100 player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (18th).
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A year ago, Sheils Donagan emerged from a 20-man playoff after stroke play and won four matches, all on the last hole, with wins over No. 1 seed Preston Stout, Luke Poulter, Christiaan Maas and Jacob Modleski. In the semifinals against Jackson Herrington, Sheils Donegan won the 16th and 17th holes to pull even before Herrington won the match on the final hole.
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Carson Bertagnole is exempt this year by ranking second in the 2026 Elite Amateur Series and 23rd in WAGR. A rising sophomore at Carolina, Bertagnole finished third this summer in both the Northeast and Southern Amateurs and sixth in stroke play in the Western Amateur.
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Grant Roscich earned his spot in the field by winning the 2026 Sunnehanna Amateur, Sihan Sandhu enters the tournament No. 94 in WAGR and Coltrane Mittag qualified with a win in the 2026 Nebraska Amateur.
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The U.S. Amateur includes two rounds of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday. Match play begins with the top 64 players on Wednesday culminating with a 36-hole final on Sunday, August 16.
Sheils Donegan plays his first round on Monday at Merion, while Bertagnole, Mittag, Roscich and Samdhu all play the opening 18 holes at the Philadelphia Country Club.
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Merion is hosting its seventh U.S. Amateur and first since 2005. It also has hosted five U.S. Opens, most recently in 2013, when Justin Rose was champion.
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All five Tar Heels are among the 173 exempt players in the field of 312.
Â
Niall Sheils Donegan is exempt as a semifinalist in the 2025 U.S. Amateur, as a member of Great Britain and Ireland's Walker Cup team and a top-100 player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (18th).
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A year ago, Sheils Donagan emerged from a 20-man playoff after stroke play and won four matches, all on the last hole, with wins over No. 1 seed Preston Stout, Luke Poulter, Christiaan Maas and Jacob Modleski. In the semifinals against Jackson Herrington, Sheils Donegan won the 16th and 17th holes to pull even before Herrington won the match on the final hole.
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Carson Bertagnole is exempt this year by ranking second in the 2026 Elite Amateur Series and 23rd in WAGR. A rising sophomore at Carolina, Bertagnole finished third this summer in both the Northeast and Southern Amateurs and sixth in stroke play in the Western Amateur.
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Grant Roscich earned his spot in the field by winning the 2026 Sunnehanna Amateur, Sihan Sandhu enters the tournament No. 94 in WAGR and Coltrane Mittag qualified with a win in the 2026 Nebraska Amateur.
Â
The U.S. Amateur includes two rounds of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday. Match play begins with the top 64 players on Wednesday culminating with a 36-hole final on Sunday, August 16.
Sheils Donegan plays his first round on Monday at Merion, while Bertagnole, Mittag, Roscich and Samdhu all play the opening 18 holes at the Philadelphia Country Club.
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Merion is hosting its seventh U.S. Amateur and first since 2005. It also has hosted five U.S. Opens, most recently in 2013, when Justin Rose was champion.
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Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
Friday, August 07
Tuesday, August 04
Thursday, July 30
Thursday, July 30