U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 14, 2026

Jay Leng

Merion Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Talk about your match and what happened out there.

JAY LENG JR: Yeah, didn't get off to the best start, but then making a 30-footer on the first hole kind of helped, and never really looked back after that. Made a 40-footer on 3 and made four more birdies after that. So keeping my confidence high for the next two matches.

Q. Can you talk about the energy out there on the course? Obviously pretty good attendance today. What's it like playing in front of a crowd like that?

JAY LENG JR: Yeah, never really had anything like this, especially playing the Junior Ryder Cup. That was the closest I've gotten to that. It was definitely a pretty good feeling knowing that playing with that many people watching and my game holds up.

Q. You had a 2-up lead going into 10 and you pulled out driver. Holding a lead like that going into those more aggressive holes, is that something you thought about, trying to put the pedal to the metal and close it out?

JAY LENG JR: Not really. I probably would have hit the same club if I was 4-down or 4-up. I did not try to hit it right at the pin, though. I tried to hit it a little bit right to try to leave myself an easy chip, but I think I flew it like five feet short of the hole.

Q. From the tee box, did you think that shot on 13 was in?

JAY LENG JR: I mean, I had no idea. I hit it, and my only thought was just don't drop your club or do anything stupid because that's what I did yesterday. I saw it spinning back and then the crowd kept getting louder and louder, so I knew it had a chance.

Q. Not to look too far ahead, but if you were to advance through tomorrow to the championship match, that gets you into the U.S. Open and gets you into the Masters. I'm sure you've dreamt of playing in those tournaments since you were a kid. What would the opportunity to be able to play in both of those mean if you were able to win tomorrow?

JAY LENG JR: That would mean the world. That's all I've been thinking about this week. I'm not really going to let that affect my game. I'm just going to play my game, and whatever happens happens.

Q. I talked to you yesterday about playing free and you seem like you're just kind of swinging the club out there. When you're in a groove like it seems like you were down the stretch, take me through your mindset when you're standing over shots and thinking about what you want to do. Is it just easier than it's ever been?

JAY LENG JR: A little bit. I would say it's mostly because my confidence. I'm pretty much firing at every pin and trying to make as many birdies as possible. I know if I'm somewhat close, I should have a chance. My putting has been really good this whole week. It's a good confidence boost.

Q. Going back to details, what club did you hit on 13 tee?

JAY LENG JR: It was 120, a little into the wind. I hit a full sand wedge, 56-degree. I tried landing it probably five yards past the hole. I knew since I was pretty far up, I didn't want to do anything stupid. Hit a full sand wedge and it was the perfect number, spun back nicely.

Q. The U.S. Amateur is a marathon, so every extra hour of sleep is probably a bonus, right? Finishing the match early has probably got to be a big thing for you, right?

JAY LENG JR: I mean, it's nice, but I'm not going to look ahead too much. I'm just going to reset tomorrow morning and start from there.

Q. You've had a great summer, and you've really increased your World Amateur Golf Ranking status. When you're on the tee at Wannamoisett and now you've gone through all of that and all the success you've had through the summer, and now you're in the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur, did you see it coming? You seem to be kind of a day-to-day guy...

JAY LENG JR: Yeah, I'd say I did see it coming. I don't know how early, but I was pretty -- I knew my game was there. I just needed to piece it together. Obviously I didn't expect to have this good of a summer, but I knew it was kind of eventful.

Q. The guys that you play against know of you, and the outer golf world maybe as a Stanford player. But what would you say is the word you've changed from and to over the course of the summer?

JAY LENG JR: For myself, I don't think I changed that much. To other people, I don't know. It's a hard question to answer. I feel like most people know me for my swing, so I guess I'd go with that.

Q. I don't know if you know this, but only nine people have won the Western and the U.S. Amateur in the same year. You'd be the 10th. Two of those people are Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, so a pretty good list. What do you think has allowed you to play this good golf?

JAY LENG JR: I'd say confidence and some really, really good putting. Just knowing that I have a chance no matter where I am on the greens, it's really helped free my game up a little bit.