Patient Tiernan battles way into Amateur Championship semi-finals at Sandwich
County Louth’s Gavin Tiernan speaks to R&A TV after his quarter-final win
County Louth's Gavin Tiernan led for the first time when it mattered most when he parred the 18th to beat Estonia's Richard Tender 1 up and claim his place in this afternoon's semi-finals of the Amateur Championship at Royal St George's.
The Dubliner (19) was two down after eight holes, but he fought back to square the match by the 10th before coming out on top over the last eight holes.
Teder won the 13th with a par to go one up again before Tiernan birdied the par-three 16th to square the match for the second time.
Both men had chances to birdie the 17th, but at the 18th, it was Tiernan who emerged victorious, firing a wedge to 10 feet and two-putting as the Estonian bounded over the green onto a gravel path.
He got a free drop but hit a poor third to 20 feet and failed to save par before Tiernan completed the job after a tentative first putt.
"This whole week, I've just been thinking one shot at a time and coming down the stretch, that's what I kept repeating to myself," the East Tennessee State University man said.
"And then, you know, I hit a nice one down the last. I actually felt fine. I wasn't really nervy or anything. And then I hit a nice one in, and while it wasn't my greatest first putt, it got the job done."
Tiernan, who was named today on Ireland's six-man team for next month's European Amateur Team Championships in Killarney, is on track to win starts in The Open at Royal Portrush and the 2026 Masters if he can go all the way.
His links background should help as he takes on Italy's Riccardo Fantinelli, who was a 4&3 winner of Australia's Billy Dowling, in this afternoon's semi-finals.
Fantinelli, who went to school in London and has just completed his junior year at Princeton, is ranked 317th in the world after three wins on the NCAA circuit in the past 14 months.
He was also the beaten finalist in the Boys Amateur at Royal Cinque Ports in 2021, losing to Jack Bigham at the 37th.
"I think you're just used to seeing a ball land 20 yards short and roll over the back of the green," he said of the firm and fast conditions.
"A lot of guys who are not from the UK and Ireland wouldn't be used to seeing that. So it's easier for me to trust that or hit a sand wedge from like 140 or whatever, so I feel like that definitely helps me."
American Ethan Fang will face Finland's Veikka Viskari in the other sem-final.
Fang, who is ranked seventh in the world, came back from two down after 11 holes to beat Frenchman Callixte Alzas by two holes.
Viskari was one down to four to play against Lefevre but won the 15th in par and the 16th with a birdie to edge one up before closing out a 1 hole victory.
