Ardmore, Pennsylvania – It was a father-and-son effort, and a successful one at that, for Jack and his Father, Andy, who played the role of looper for the week at Merion.
Team Whaley rolled into Merion Golf Club earlier in the week, not as one of the favorites… made it through a 16 for 11 man playoff on Wednesday to advance to match play, and came out on Sunday as the 126th U.S Amateur Champion.
Jack Whaley of England, a 22-year-old senior at FSU took down Stanford Cardinal junior Jay Leng Jr. 4 and 3, on Sunday at iconic Merion Golf Club. Whaley becomes the first-ever Seminole to take possession of the Havemeyer Trophy. Whaley took the non-conventional route, beginning his college days the first two years at Dalton State College in Georgia (NAIA) before transferring in 2025.
“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” said Whaley of joining the likes of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Bob Jones as a U.S. Amateur champion. “But it’s definitely a huge honor to be able to be part of the names of all the famous people and unbelievable golfers that have come through this golf course and won. Yeah, I don’t really have words for it right now.”
Whaley joins Matthew Fitzpatrick (at The Country Club in 2013), and before that, Harold Hilton (1910), as the only players from England to win the United States Amateur.
Whaley holed a chip shot left of the green for a birdie on the 1st, to take the early lead. A par at the third, had him 2up, but it was Leng Jr, 20 from San Diego, who led after the first 18 holes (2up), while the weather was more California-like. During the second 18 of the 36-hole final, the weather took an inclement turn of the UK persuasion (windy with rain)… and Whaley took advantage, winning four holes in a row on holes 2 thru 5 (the 20th through 24th holes of the match) to flip the tally and all of the momentum in his favor on his way to a 4&3 victory. A huge achievement for the Seminole who was ranked 90th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking entering the championship.
“I was kind of a little bit shocked that I managed to lose that many holes coming in. I got off to a good start, and I was up, and then I was just like, what just happened?” said Whaley. “Jay just made a 20-foot putt, a 30-foot putt and then another 20-foot putt, and I’m like, well, that was out of nowhere, and I’m kind of scraping my pars, and he’s just making birdies out of nowhere. He played unbelievable this morning coming down the stretch. During the break, it was kind of just reset, recoup , and get ready for the afternoon. I knew 2-down wasn’t too much for me to handle. Going into it, it was just to be confident and let things happen.”
With the victory, Whaley earned exemptions into the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and The Open Championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews, and an invitation to the Masters in Augusta next April. He will be on Team GB&I for the Walker Cup squad that will take on Team USA Sept. 5-6 at Lahinch, in Ireland.
Leng Jr. doesn’t leave empty handed, he was named to the USA Walker Cup Team himself on Sunday. “Right now, it doesn’t feel too great losing in the finals,” said Leng Jr… but I’m sure I’ll be okay in a few days.”
On the 15th green (the 33rd hole) is where Whaley clinched the title after rolling in his mid-range putt. Jack’s Father and Caddie Andy, his mom Kerry, girlfriend Sara Burger, and support group from both colleges were on hand to celebrate.
“It’s just off the charts. I’m not very emotional as a rule, but this is a very emotional,” said Andy Whaley. “Never in our wildest dreams did we think that this was possible. Jack has just achieved the impossible, frankly. That’s what this is about. I just can’t be proud enough of the guy.”
What the Champion Receives
- The inaugural Tiger Woods Medal
- Custody of the Havemeyer Trophy for the ensuing year
- Exemption into the 127th U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links
- Exemptions into the next 10 U.S. Amateur Championships
- Exemption into The Open Championship next July at the Old Course at St. Andrews (must be an amateur)
- Likely invitation to the 2027 Masters Tournament (must be an amateur)
- Named engraved on the 2026 USGA Champions’ plaque that resides in the Hall of Champions inside the USGA Museum & Library, in Liberty Corner, N.J.
