U.S. Amateur playoff: Lots of birdies, heartbreak, even a near ace
Jack Whaley nearly aced the first hole of a 16-for-11 playoff at the U.S. Amateur while Taishi Moto downed Palacios on the third extra hole for the final berth in match play at Merion.
Ardmore, Pennsylvania – The U.S. Amateur playoff unfolded with exhilarating birdies, heartbreaking moments, and a near-impossible ace attempt on Wednesday morning at Merion Golf Club. The first playoff hole, a 119-yard par-3 on the challenging 13th hole, posed significant pressure for rising Florida State senior Jack Whaley, who had already made five birdies in the previous three fourballs.
Whaley watched Ryder Cowan perfectly strike his tee shot, then attempted a 54-degree wedge from just five feet away. Alas, Whaley's ball landed a couple of feet beyond the hole, spun back to the spot of Cowan's ball, and liped out with remarkable force. Whaley, a two-time hole-in-one achiever, acknowledged the missed opportunity, emphasizing that his playoff status remained intact.
Other notable performances included Emile Lebrun, Joshua Bai, and William Jennings, who birdied the 13th hole. Jennings, the sixth-ranked amateur, navigated a chaotic back nine on Tuesday and emerged two shots ahead of the projected cut. Luke Poulter and Luke Wu, both ranked ahead of Jennings, fell short of the playoff. The playoff concluded with Taishi Moto advancing to face medalist Joshua Ryan following a bogey at the 15th hole.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
