ARDMORE, Pa. – Former Dalton State golfer Jack Whaley won the 126^th U.S. Amateur Championship Sunday after defeating Jay Leng Jr. 4&3 at the Merion Golf Club. Whaley is a two-time Southern States Athletic Conference Player of the Year and 2025 NAIA Men’s Golf Individual National Champion. 
 
After advancing to the finals, Whaley earned exemption into the 2027 Masters and U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Winning the championship earned him a place in the 2027 Open Championships at St. Andrews and the Walker Cup for Great Britain. 
 
Whaley played in a 16-for-11 playoff on Wednesday just to get in the field of 64. He went on to become the third Englishman to win the Havemeyer Trophy and the first in 13 years. He also became just the seventh player to come from at least two down at the break to win the championship. 
 
Results
Round of 64: Jack Whaley def. No. 5 Jackson Ormond  (Florida)– 1 Up, 22 holes
Round of 32: Jack Whaley def. No. 37 Bowen Mauss (Arizona State) – 2&1
Round of 16: Jack Whaley def. No. 53 Christian Cavliere – 4&3
Quarterfinal: Jack Whaley def. No. 29 Adam Bresnu (Texas Tech) – 5&4
Semifinal: Jack Whaley def. No. 8 Carter Loflin – 1 Up
Final:  Jack Whaley def. No. 15 Jay Leng Jr. – 4&3
 
Read More
Golfweek
Golf.com