Whaley storms to U.S. Amateur crown at rain-soaked Merion
English amateur Jack Whaley, seeded 60th, rallied in the afternoon to defeat Jay Leng Jr. 4 & 3 and win the 2026 U.S. Amateur at Merion amid heavy rain and a late surge. Leng Jr. led at times in the morning, but Whaley’s putting and relentless pressure turned the match, ultimately finishing on the 33rd hole. The win grants Whaley a bundle of exemptions, including the next 10 years of the U.S. Amateur and The Amateur Championship, plus spots at the 2027 Masters and 2027 Open (and a 2027 U.S. Open exemption if he remains an amateur). Leng Jr. also earns Masters and U.S. Open exemptions while remaining an amateur.
