England's Jack Whaley wins US Amateur Championship after beating American Jay Leng Jr in 36-hole final to book place at 2027 Open

Doncaster-born golfer Jack Whaley defeated American Jay Leng Jr in a gruelling 36-hole final on Sunday to win the US Amateur Championship and book his place at The Open next year.

After making the final at Merion Golf Club, Whaley had already secured himself a spot at The Masters and the US Open, but his 4&3 win has now also earned him a place at St Andrews next summer.

The victory also makes him only the third English golfer to win the tournament after Matt Fitzpatrick claimed victory at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, in 2013, while Harold Hilton won back at The Apawamis Club in New York, in 1911.

Whaley began his final round in epic fashion, chipping in on the first hole for birdie to take an early lead against Leng Jr.

The pair toiled all day, with Whaley going two up after five holes, before Leng Jr fought back, wrestling the match back to all square on the 12th before going two up through 16 holes.

Whaley wrestled the lead back on the 22nd hole, before moving to three up with four holes to play.

The Englishman chipped onto the green on the 33rd hole, and gave himself a 20ft putt for birdie.

Emotional scenes then erupted after Whaley, who is ranked 90th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, clinically holed the putt before turning to hug his caddie and dad Andy and his mum, who had ran onto the green.

"My dad has helped me so much this week," Whaley said. "Honestly, I can't thank him enough for it. He was just telling me, just keep going, just keep playing.

"It's just a huge honour to be able to experience this with my dad and hole that eight-footer on the last."