Jack Whaley wins US Amateur at Merion with father Andy on bag

Jack Whaley became only the third Englishman to win the US Amateur Championship at Merion on Sunday, beating American Jay Leng Jr 4&3 with his father Andy caddying for him. The 22-year-old from Doncaster delivered the victory that earned him places in the fields for the Masters, the US Open and The Open at St Andrews in 2027 and an automatic berth in the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team.

Whaley’s triumph was framed as a family occasion: he embraced his father after sinking the winning putt and later gave an emotional victory speech at Merion. The result confirms his selection for the Walker Cup team that will face the United States at Lahinch in Ireland on 5 and 6 September.

Reflecting on the moment, Whaley told BBC Sport: "It's probably the best thing and me and my dad will probably ever experience together." He recounted his father's joke and contribution: "He said to me yesterday, 'right, I'm retired now, I'm one for one'. And we all thought it was hilarious. I don't think he'll caddie again, but I think he'll definitely remember this one and I will for a very, very long time." He added: "He was just telling me that he was just very proud and we've done really well to get it this far and there's no reason why it couldn't be me that could win - and I think he's the one that really kept me going."

Whaley’s route to the final included wins over Jackson Ormond, Bowen Mauss, Christian Cavaliere, Adam Bresnu and Carter Loflin. Having missed the cut at the same event 12 months earlier and sitting 90th in the world amateur golf rankings, his victory required reversing a recent downturn in major-event results.

His father’s role extended off the course as well as on it: Whaley said Andy had been due to fly home on Saturday but had to change his plans as Jack advanced. "It's been a bumpy ride, but I wouldn't change it for the world. We're here now, so it's great. It is a fantastic achievement," Whaley said. "Obviously we've not had good good results in the past, and he was due to go home on Saturday. I think he was expecting to do some sightseeing and go to Washington towards the end of the week if I missed the cut. On Friday night, we had to change his flight and get the car extended for an extra couple of days."

Whaley, who attends Florida State University, also credited his family for supporting his development and finances. "Everyone knows that golf is not a cheap sport. It requires a lot of money and a lot of time," he said. "Growing up, my dad obviously was working quite a lot to try to provide for me, my brother and mum. I didn't really appreciate it at the time." He added: "As you get older, you understand the time that he's put into it, taking me to golf lessons, taking me to the golf tournaments, paying for all these things. It's nice to be able to appreciate it now and really say 'thank you' to him."

Following the final, Whaley received congratulatory calls and messages, including contact from former English US Open champions. Justin Rose FaceTimed Whaley and Matt Fitzpatrick and his younger brother Alex, who caddied for Matt when he won the US Amateur at The Country Club in Brookline, were also in touch. "As soon as we finished that round, we went up to the locker room and they had an extra thing for me to have a phone call with Justin Rose, which was pretty special," Whaley added. "There's a lot of history with Justin Rose [at Merion] and it was really nice to be on the phone with him and be able to engrave my name in that history. That was really awesome."

Whaley’s win guarantees his participation in the Masters, the US Open and The Open at St Andrews in 2027 and secures his automatic place on the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team for the match against the United States at Lahinch on 5 and 6 September.