How strong is Nguyen Anh Minh's opponent in the 2025 US Junior Amateur final?

Eliminate a series of championship candidates

Coleman is only 17, a senior in high school, and will play for the University of Georgia in 2026. He is ranked 625th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), which may seem modest compared to the big names in the tournament. But Coleman’s performance this week at Trinity Forest Golf Club (Texas) shows that he is far ahead of the rankings.

In the semi-finals, Coleman made a big splash when he defeated Luke Colton (Frisco, Texas), the tournament’s top candidate and a member of the US Junior Golf National Team, with an overwhelming 5&4 victory. This victory is considered the biggest “shock” of the tournament this year, because Colton is currently ranked 25th in the WAGR and has just won the Terra Cotta Invitational 2025.

Earlier, in the quarterfinals on the same day, Coleman defeated Sohan Patel (Weston, Florida) with a score of 2 & 1. Notably, in the round of 16, he created a spectacular comeback against Tyler Watts, runner-up of the 2024 US Junior Amateur and champion of the 2025 Sunnehanna Amateur. Coleman was down 3 UP after 11 holes, but exploded in the last holes to win, thereby proving his formidable character.

In just two days, the golfer from Augusta (Georgia) eliminated two of the three highest-ranked golfers in the tournament: Watts (42nd WAGR) and Colton (25th WAGR). This achievement made experts reconsider the true potential of the 17-year-old boy.

Breakthrough journey

Coleman earned his spot in the 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur by winning the 2024 Junior Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in a dramatic playoff with Blades Brown. He also played in the Drive, Chip & Putt final at Augusta National Golf Club in 2022, a prestigious playground for young talent.

“I didn’t really do well this summer, but I’ve started to get more consistent lately,” Coleman said. “I knew I had a chance and to see it come to fruition is really cool. I know that my ranking doesn’t reflect my ability, and I believe I can compete with anyone here.”

The 77th US Junior Amateur final between Nguyen Anh Minh and Hamilton Coleman will take place over 36 holes at Trinity Forest Golf Club, starting at 7:45 p.m. on July 26 (Vietnam time), broadcast live on Golf Channel.

The champion will receive an invitation to the 126th US Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, one of the four most prestigious major tournaments in the world.

In addition, both golfers in the final round are exempt from qualifying for the 2025 US Amateur next month at The Olympic Club, where Anh Minh is already guaranteed a spot thanks to his position in the top 100 WAGR.