Jack Whaley etched his name into Florida State golf history by winning the 126th U.S. Amateur Championship on Sunday, with a 4-and-3 win over Stanford’s Jay Leng Jr at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania.
Whaley battled both rainy conditions and some incredible golf from Leng to become the first Seminole in program history to earn the Havemeyer Trophy. He’s just the third Englishman to win the prestigious amateur honor, and the first since current PGA Tour pro Matt Fitzpatrick in 2013.
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With his father on the bag, Whaley navigated a 36-hole final day with precision and confidence. Down two strokes after the first 18 holes, Whaley drained putt after putt, including a run of four straight hole wins, in the final 18 to come back and hold off Leng for the championship.
Whaley won in front of FSU men’s golf head coach Trey Jones, who flew up to watch the final day of action early Sunday morning. His victory earns him a spot in the 2027 Masters Tournament, British Open and US Open.
The win captured the attention of the Seminole faithful and golf fans around the globe. Here are a few reactions to Whaley’s U.S. Amateur Championship.
