Photo by: USGA Museum
Maclauchlan Captures U.S. Junior Amateur Championship Title
7/26/2026 7:18:00 AM | Men's Golf
Less than a month before coming to the Mountain to start his freshman season at Liberty, Noah Maclauchlan claimed one of the most coveted amateur trophies in golf.
Maclauchlan, who will join the Flames' roster this fall, completed an impressive run on Saturday to capture the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship title.
The native of Moseley, Va., defeated Miles Russell, 6 and 5, in the 36-hole finale played at the Saucon Valley Country Club's Old Course in Bethlehem, Pa.
Russell entered the event as the No. 1 ranked golfer in the latest American Junior Golf Association rankings and the No. 7 ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
Maclauchlan's name will now be etched on the Tiger Woods Trophy with three-time champion Woods, two-time winner Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, Johnny Miller, David Duval, Min Woo Lee, Will Zalatoris and Brian Harman.
"I don't really have words right now," said Maclauchlan. "It's pretty surreal, pretty unbelievable to call myself a United States Junior champion. To have my name next to all the legends that have won this, including Tiger [Woods] and so many more, is so special."
Maclauchlan outlasted a star-studded field of the top 264 junior amateur golfers in the world to claim the trophy.
During the event's 36 holes of stroke play on Monday, Maclauchlan struggled to a 6-over 76 on the Grace Course, the stroke-play co-host venue. He rallied with a 68 on the Old Course to qualify for match play.
From there, the 18-year old rode a wave of momentum that included knocking out two of the three co-medalists – No. 1 seed Brayden Jones in the Round of 16 (2 and 1) and Russell – as well as 2026 Western Junior champion Andrew Sciortino in the Round of 32 (3 and 1), 2026 Northwestern signee Kuan Zhou in the quarterfinals (4 and 2) and top New Zealand junior Cooper Moore in the semifinals (1 up).
Equally impressive was how he progressed through the draw, especially in the final two rounds. Maclauchlan registered nine birdies in his 18-hole semifinal victory over Moore.
Against Russell on Saturday, he made six birdies in the morning 18, taking a 1-up lead into the lunch break, and then posted seven more birdies against just one bogey in the afternoon round.
The margin of victory was the third largest since the USGA switched to a 36-hole format for the championship match in 2005. Only Cameron Peck's 10-and-8 win over Evan Beck (2008) and Cory Whitsett's 8-and-7 decision over Anthony Paolucci (2007) were larger.
Maclauchlan's victory earned him an exemption into the 127th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links in 2027, as well as a spot in the next two U.S. Amateurs, including next month's championship at Merion Golf Club at Ardmore, Pa.
Maclauchlan will be one of four golfers associated with the Liberty golf program to compete at this year's U.S. Amateur. He will be joined by recent graduate Josh Ryan, rising junior Michael Lugiano and fellow incoming freshman Austin Krahn.
Lugiano and Ryan were a part of Liberty's 2026 Conference USA championship team in April, helping Liberty capture its second CUSA title in the last three years and its ninth conference title in program history.
The Flames finished tied for fifth place at the NCAA Corvallis Regional in May, where Lugiano was the medalist after carding a 12-under par 201 at the Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis, Ore.
Lugiano's victory earned him a spot at the 2026 NCAA Men's Golf National Championship where he finished tied for 47th place.
Maclauchlan, who will join the Flames' roster this fall, completed an impressive run on Saturday to capture the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship title.
The native of Moseley, Va., defeated Miles Russell, 6 and 5, in the 36-hole finale played at the Saucon Valley Country Club's Old Course in Bethlehem, Pa.
Russell entered the event as the No. 1 ranked golfer in the latest American Junior Golf Association rankings and the No. 7 ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
Maclauchlan's name will now be etched on the Tiger Woods Trophy with three-time champion Woods, two-time winner Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, Johnny Miller, David Duval, Min Woo Lee, Will Zalatoris and Brian Harman.
"I don't really have words right now," said Maclauchlan. "It's pretty surreal, pretty unbelievable to call myself a United States Junior champion. To have my name next to all the legends that have won this, including Tiger [Woods] and so many more, is so special."
Maclauchlan outlasted a star-studded field of the top 264 junior amateur golfers in the world to claim the trophy.
During the event's 36 holes of stroke play on Monday, Maclauchlan struggled to a 6-over 76 on the Grace Course, the stroke-play co-host venue. He rallied with a 68 on the Old Course to qualify for match play.
From there, the 18-year old rode a wave of momentum that included knocking out two of the three co-medalists – No. 1 seed Brayden Jones in the Round of 16 (2 and 1) and Russell – as well as 2026 Western Junior champion Andrew Sciortino in the Round of 32 (3 and 1), 2026 Northwestern signee Kuan Zhou in the quarterfinals (4 and 2) and top New Zealand junior Cooper Moore in the semifinals (1 up).
Equally impressive was how he progressed through the draw, especially in the final two rounds. Maclauchlan registered nine birdies in his 18-hole semifinal victory over Moore.
Against Russell on Saturday, he made six birdies in the morning 18, taking a 1-up lead into the lunch break, and then posted seven more birdies against just one bogey in the afternoon round.
The margin of victory was the third largest since the USGA switched to a 36-hole format for the championship match in 2005. Only Cameron Peck's 10-and-8 win over Evan Beck (2008) and Cory Whitsett's 8-and-7 decision over Anthony Paolucci (2007) were larger.
Maclauchlan's victory earned him an exemption into the 127th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links in 2027, as well as a spot in the next two U.S. Amateurs, including next month's championship at Merion Golf Club at Ardmore, Pa.
Maclauchlan will be one of four golfers associated with the Liberty golf program to compete at this year's U.S. Amateur. He will be joined by recent graduate Josh Ryan, rising junior Michael Lugiano and fellow incoming freshman Austin Krahn.
Lugiano and Ryan were a part of Liberty's 2026 Conference USA championship team in April, helping Liberty capture its second CUSA title in the last three years and its ninth conference title in program history.
The Flames finished tied for fifth place at the NCAA Corvallis Regional in May, where Lugiano was the medalist after carding a 12-under par 201 at the Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis, Ore.
Lugiano's victory earned him a spot at the 2026 NCAA Men's Golf National Championship where he finished tied for 47th place.
Players Mentioned
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