The future of Golf tee it up @ The Olympic Club for the US Amateur

The next crop of golfers will arrive at The Olympic Club in San Francisco this week for the US Amateur, and the field is stacked as always. Here are a few players to keep an eye on at The Olympic Club:

Luke Poulter

As you may know, Luke Poulter is the son of English golfing legend Ian Poulter. Currently ranked 29th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), Poulter has enjoyed a successful 2025 collegiate season so far, winning at the Schenkel invitational and contributing to Florida's run to the NCAA Championship semi-finals. Outside of college, Poulter came agonisingly close to qualifying for the US Open this year at Oakmont, losing in a playoff after he bogeyed the 18th in regulation; a par would have seen him qualify. Luke had a disappointing showing at The Amateur Championship at Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports in June, finishing 122nd. If he is anything like his father, he should be a weapon if he reaches match play this year. His current matchplay record sits at 5-2, with both his losses coming at this year's NCAA National Championships quarter and semi-finals.

Declan O Donovan 

Currently ranked 304th in the WAGR, 22-year-old from Sydney, Australia, Declan O'Donnovan, recently won the Men's Canadian Amateur Championship in a thrilling playoff at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club. With this victory, Declan secures his first PGA Tour start in next year's Canadian Open and an entry into this year's US Amateur. In four professional starts on the PGA Tour of Australasia, O’Donovan had three top-30 finishes and one top-10, proving he has what it takes to keep up with the best. Certainly a player who could do some surprise damage if he makes it through to matchplay. 

Billy Dowling

Keeping with the theme of Australian amateurs, Billy Dowling, currently ranked 258th in the WAGR, is a player who has shown tremendous promise over the last two years. The 20 year old Queenslander recently finished runner up in the Scottish Men's Open at North Berwick, reached the quarter finals in the Amateur Championship, and fifth in the men's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship. Dowling was also in contention at the 2023 Asia Pacific Amateur at Royal Melbourne, until an unfortunate final round 78 ended his hopes at a start in the 2024 Masters and The Open Championship. Having earned a start for the US Amateur through a successful final qualifying at Lake Nona Country Club in Orlando, he should be primed to continue the good form. 

Jackson Koivun 

World No. 1 amateur golfer Jackson Koivun has shown exactly why he sits atop the rankings. Still studying at Auburn University, Koivun has already gained his PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program, thanks to 5 individual collegiate victories across his first 2 seasons. Despite this, he will return to Auburn for the 2025-26 season. Koivun has already proven himself amongst the professional ranks, with his last three starts resulting in a T5 at the Wyndham Championship, T6 at the ISCO Championship, and T11 at the John Deere Classic. Clearly arriving at the US Amateur in good form, he will most definitely be one of the favourites. At just 20 years old, he has a wealth of experience performing under pressure, and this week will be no different. 

Richard Teder 

Some may remember the name. 20-year-old Richard Teder, currently ranked 81st in the WAGR, made histroy this July as the first Estonian ever to play in the Open Championship. Teder earned his spot through the final qualifying series, holing out for eagle from 80 yards on the first playoff hole to make it through. Teder had a respectable showing in the Open, shooting 74-76 to miss the cut by 7 shots. A successful outing at the Amateur championship where he made the quarter finals, losing out on the final to eventual runner-up Gavin Tiernan. Teder is another player who could do some damage if he makes it through to matchplay.