Jay Leng Jr. will tee it up at Augusta National and Pebble Beach next year after the 20-year-old Torrey Pines High School graduate finished runner-up at the U.S. Amateur Championship on Monday, Aug. 17, at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.
Leng, a Stanford junior from San Diego, lost the 36-hole final 4 and 3 to England's Jack Whaley, 22, of Florida State. But the finish earned Leng an automatic exemption into the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and a likely invitation to the 2027 Masters, provided he remains an amateur. He also secured a spot on the U.S. Walker Cup team, which competes Sept. 5–6 at Lahinch in Ireland.
Leng held a 2-up lead through the morning 18 holes before Whaley rallied in the afternoon on an overcast, windy day, according to ESPN.
"It shows I can compete with the best," Leng said after the Aug. 17 final. "I can compete with anyone, honestly. I can't wait to see what's next."
Back at his home course at the Grand Del Mar on Wednesday, Aug. 19, Leng told FOX 5 San Diego the Masters invitation still hadn't fully registered. He said it would sink in when he walks Augusta for a practice round, calling it "a little earlier than I thought."
The result was historic. Leng is the first Stanford golfer to reach the U.S. Amateur final since David Chung in 2010. Tiger Woods and Lawson Little are the only Cardinal players to have won the Havemeyer Trophy.
A breakout summer
The Amateur final capped a remarkable stretch for Leng, who was ranked No. 199 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in January 2025. He arrived at Merion ranked No. 23 after winning the 124th Western Amateur two weeks earlier, qualifying with rounds of 67-67-68-66, according to AmateurGolf.com.
At Merion, Leng reached the final in just 76 holes, fewer than any other player in the 64-man match-play bracket. He defeated 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Evan Beck 5 and 4, world No. 3 Tyler Watts, and semifinal opponent Logan Reilly 2 and 1, among others.
His summer resume also includes a runner-up finish at the Northeast Amateur and a tie for fifth at the Southern Amateur.
Local roots
Two of Leng's former Torrey Pines teammates made the trip to Philadelphia to support him: Evan Liu, verbally committed to UNC for 2027, and Matthew Broder of UT-Arlington, who took a red-eye flight from San Diego on Friday night, according to Irish Golf Desk.
Leng led Torrey Pines to the 2024 CIF San Diego Section championship. He first appeared on the national stage in 2015, winning the Boys' 7–9 division of the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship at Augusta National. His runner-up finish at the Amateur makes him the third Drive, Chip & Putt finalist to compete in the Masters.
Leng plans to return to Stanford for his junior season. His next competition is the Walker Cup at Lahinch on Sept. 5–6.
