England Golf Men’s Squad star Jack Whaley has become just the third Englishman to win the US Amateur Championship after beating American Jay Leng 4&3 in the final at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania.
The 22-year-old from Rotherham, who attends Florida State University, battled through two rounds of stroke play, including a play-off, before winning six match-play contests to claim one of amateur golf’s most prestigious titles.
Whaley follows Harold Hilton, who won in 1911, and Matt Fitzpatrick, who triumphed in 2013, as England’s only other US Amateur champions in its 125-year history.
MAJOR REWARDS
The victory also delivers a series of significant rewards. Whaley, ranked No.90 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, earns exemptions into the 2027 US Open at Pebble Beach and The Open at St Andrews, as well as an invitation to next year’s Masters.
He also automatically earns one of the 10 places on the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team for the match against the USA at Lahinch in Ireland on September 5-6. The team is due to be announced by The R&A later today [Monday].
Whaley’s route to the title was far from straightforward. He survived a 16-man play-off for 11 places to reach the match-play draw before beating 2026 US Open qualifier Jackson Ormond over 22 holes in his opening match.
MORNING DEFICIT
In the final, Leng established a two-hole lead after the morning 18, but Whaley remained confident of overturning the deficit.
“I knew 2-down wasn’t too much for me to handle,” he said. “Going into it, it was just be confident and let things happen.”
That approach paid off as Whaley took control during the afternoon session, winning four consecutive holes from the 20th to move two up. Further birdies at the 26th and 28th extended his advantage to three holes.
Whaley remained composed despite dropping the 29th after an approach found a penalty area, responding with a winning par at the next hole to restore his three-hole lead.
The match ended on the 33rd hole when Whaley rolled in a 10-foot birdie, sparking emotional celebrations with his father and caddie Andy, mother Kerry, girlfriend Sara Burger and his college coaches.
“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” Whaley said. “It’s definitely a huge honour to be part of the names of all the famous people and unbelievable golfers who have come through this golf course and won.”
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