U.S. Amateur’s final four at Merion play for major starts, big stage experience, NIL

by Golf NIL Staff

August 15, 2026

Four players remain. All chasing a place in golf history. All chasing a shot at multiple major starts and a rare chance to compete against the best in the world.

Jay Leng Jr. (Stanford), Logan Reilly (Auburn), Jack Whaley (Florida State), and Carter Loflin (Georgia) round out the semifinal field.

The two finalists earn invitations to the 2027 Masters Tournament and exemptions into the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, provided they remain amateurs. The champion adds a place in the 2027 Open Championship at St. Andrews and earns the same title held by more than a century of greats, including Bob Jones, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.

Jay Leng Jr. at the U.S. Amateur. One win from Sunday. One step closer to multiple major starts | Dustin Satloff/USGA

For seniors Loflin and Whaley, that major access lands as they consider career next steps.

For Leng, a junior, and Reilly, a sophomore, they'll have more college golf ahead. Both currently rank in the Golf NIL College Men's Top 40, with Leng at No. 23 and Reilly at No. 21.

More than an invite, the chance places these amateurs in fields alongside the sport's biggest names, a learning window most golfers never get this early: a direct look at what major-championship golf actually demands—experience a player can carry back into college golf or into a professional career.

What they take from that environment becomes part of the performance story behind a player’s NIL value.

These major starts also put the players at the center of media coverage and tournament storylines on stages even many professional golfers never reach.

This kind of major-championship experience can change a player’s NIL trajectory.