Quarterfinal routs send record crowd home early, though plenty of U.S. Amateur storylines remain

ARDMORE, Pa. – It was a record-breaking day as Merion Golf Club, welcomed the most ticketed fans for a U.S. Amateur in the championship’s history. With attendance numbers pushing 3,000, the line to get into the pro shop remained wrapped around the clubhouse most the day, while the scene for the first tee as the four quarterfinal matches started was electric.

“I was totally shell-shocked by the amount of people that were out there, to be brutally honest,” Georgia grad Carter Loflin said. “I've played in front of people before, but not like that. Honestly, it took me a minute to get used the gallery and everything. I looked at Brandon [Knight, his opponent] on the first tee, and I was like, ‘Dude, I've never seen people four-deep like this before.’”

Added Jack Whaley: “It's one of the best experiences I've had playing golf.”

And Logan Reilly: “Unbelievable atmosphere.”

Unfortunately, the air was let out of the balloon early, and the thousands of fans clamoring to see some epic battles went home disappointed in that regard. None of the matches reached the 17th hole while three of them ended before the 15th hole.

The 57 total holes played marked the fewest in a U.S. Amateur quarterfinal round since at least 2002. Prior to Friday, the fewest during that span was 60 holes, recorded twice, in 2002 and 2007.

The good news is there is still time for fireworks.

For now, here’s a deeper dive into some of the best storylines surrounding our four semifinalists – Loflin, Whaley, Reilly and Jay Leng Jr.:

Carter Loflin smiles after playing his tee shot at the second hole during the quarterfinals of the 2026 U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/USGA)

Dustin Satloff/USGA Museum

Carter Loflin’s dad, Stephen, is an old-school bartender. Don’t ask him for a Manhattan, but he can make you a mean Jack and Coke and provide some great conversation.

“He was bartender of the year in Atlanta one time,” Loflin said. “But that's more for his personality. People love to come and sit at the bar with him.”

Loflin shares similar personality traits with his pops, like the time he entered a diner near campus during first semester at Georgia and noticed the longtime starter at one of the Bulldogs’ home courses having breakfast; Loflin bought the man’s meal.

On Friday against Knight, however, Loflin had to ignore everyone. The energy from the large crowd had spiked Loflin’s nerves, and he quickly fell 2 down through four holes.

“I don't think there was ever a point where I really settled in,” Loflin said. “I guess I kind of just started looking down at my feet, stopped looking around.”

(Ironically, Loflin did his post-round interview in flip-flops.)

Loflin appeared on his way to making a mess of Merion’s iconic par-4 fifth hole, hooking his drive left of the Cobbs Creek and having the punch back into the fairway. Then with Knight on the green in regulation, Loflin duffed his wedge shot.

Somehow, Loflin remained calm, which is sometimes unusual for him. He grabbed his 58-degree wedge this time and from 25 yards, chipped in for what would be a hole-winning par after Knight three-putted.

2 down... now 1 down! @UGAGolf 's Carter Loflin chips in to slice his deficit in half. pic.twitter.com/8dtflzwGMY

— USGA (@USGA) August 14, 2026

“Probably the coolest thing I've ever done, to be completely honest with you,” Loflin said. “I can't even remember the last time I chipped in.”

Loflin hooked another drive at the next hole, the par-4 sixth, and was prepared to lay up again when he realized the lie he had, in the heather left of the dense rough, was good enough to go for the green. He found the dance floor and tied the hole with par to remain 1 down.

That settled Loflin in as he didn’t lose a hole after that, carding four birdies in the process before closing out Knight, 3 and 2.

Jack Whaley gets some low-fives from fans at the fifth ole during the quarterfinals of the 2026 U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/USGA)

Dustin Satloff/USGA Museum

For a 4-year-old Jack Whaley, the prospect of whacking golf balls with his dad, Andy, at a double-decker driving range at the Pete Cowen Golf Academy in Rotherham, England, was too much fun to pass up. It was there that Whaley began working with Cowen’s protégé Nick Huby, who at the time was still teaching group lessons to beginners.

Whaley has been coached by Huby ever since, seeing him for monthly lessons and talking to him daily when he’s in school at Florida State, where Whaley is a rising senior.

“He's one of the best coaches in the world,” Whaley said. “He's taught me everything I know … and I'm never going to change from him.”

Whaley’s run at Merion has proved himself one of the best amateurs in the world, which is remarkable considering Whaley began playing tournaments with cuts around 12 years old but never made a cut until he was 17, at the English Amateur. He’s also never represented England in a team event, though he did finally join the national program last year, not long after he transferred from NAIA Dalton State and joined the Seminoles.

“Hopefully a lot more to come from this,” said Whaley, who said Friday things have remained radio silent on the Walker Cup front after previously stating Thursday that he was “here to prove” he belonged on the GB&I squad.

Entering the week ranked 90th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Whaley, with Andy on the bag for the first time ever, was among those in a 16-for-11 playoff on Wednesday morning. He got through emphatically, lipping out what would’ve been his third career ace, at the 119-yard, par-3 13th hole.

Twenty-one years ago, Edoardo Molinari also survived a playoff before capturing the Havemeyer Trophy at Merion. Last year, Mason Howell did the same at Olympic Club.

“That's a pretty cool one,” said Whaley, who never trailed in his 5-and-4 win o...

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →