Twenty-one years ago, a relatively unheralded European golfer captured the U.S. Amateur title at Merion Golf Club after sneaking into the match-play draw from a 19-man playoff. Italy’s Eduardo Molinari, in fact, holed a bunker shot at the par-3 ninth, his last hole of stroke play, just to get into the playoff.
Jack Whaley is possibly following the same path. The 21-year-old Englishman didn’t have any final-hole heroics, but the Florida State University rising senior did nearly make an ace on the par-3 13th hole during the 16-man playoff on Wednesday morning to grab one of the 11 available spots.

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