Grehan 'over the moon' after Amateur Championship win at Hoylake
Stuart Grehan celebrates his win at The 131st Amateur Championship with his wife, Carla and son, Kai. Picture: The R&A
Stuart Grehan credited the “outrageous” support from County Louth as key to becoming just the ninth Irishman to win the Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool.
Just over two years after regaining his amateur status and only 12 months after his Co Louth clubmate Gavin Tiernan lost in the final, the Tullamore native (33) came back from three down after 12 holes in the 36-hole final to beat American Matt Moloney by one hole.
He’s the first Irish winner since James Sugrue in 2019 and follows in the footsteps of Joe Carr, who won the first of his three titles at Hoylake in 1953.
He’s he 11th Irish champion after Jimmy Bruen (1946), Max McGreevy (1949), Carr (1953, ‘58, ‘60), Garth McGimpsey (1985), Michael Hoey (2001), Brian McElhinney (2005), Alan Dunbar (2012) and James Sugrue (2019).
His win also comes 55 years after another Tullamore great, Kitty MacCann, won the 1951 Women’s Amateur Championship at Broadstone.
“Absolutely over the moon,” said Grehan, who will tee it up in The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale next month, the 2027 US Open at Pebble Beach, and, by tradition, receive an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament
“So happy. So much hard work has gone into it. Yeah, it was on my mind all day, but happy.”
As Amateur champion Grehan is also now a certainty to play for Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup at Lahinch from September 5-6. but it wasn’t all plain sailing at Hoylake.
Bogeys at the third and fifth and a double bogey six at the 12th left him three down and while he fought back to square the match by the 16th, he lost the 17th a birdie and was one down to the University of Georgia star at lunch
“I got off to a really slow start,” he said. “I was really struggling with my swing and kind of lunch came at a good time to reset, and I played really well this afternoon, hit some great shots.”
Moloney (20) made a double-bogey on the 19th and a bogey on the 20th to hand Grehan a one-hole lead
Cheered on by County Louth members who had flown in for the final, the Offaly man lost the 21st with a birdie before three-putting the 22nd to fall behind.
Having squared the match again on the 23rd, Grehan conjured a couple of telling moments as the tie intensified.
He made a crucial 25-foot putt for par to stay level on the 24th before playing a sublime eight-iron approach to within five feet on the par-five 26th, which led to an eagle and a one-hole lead.
When Moloney got into trouble on the 28th, then three-putted the 33rd, Grehan was three holes up but his American rival refused to throw in the towel.
He birdied the 34th to win a hole back and reduced the deficit to just one when Grehan missed a 12-foot putt for par on the 35th.
The title would be decided on the 36th, and Grehan held his nerve amid the tension to match Moloney’s par and become the 131st Amateur Champion.
Crediting his travelling support from County Louth as a crucial factor, he said: “They're amazing. They're the best supportive club I feel like in Ireland, to be honest. They go everywhere. So, yeah, look, a huge shout-out to them and everyone. My boss came over today, my coaches came over, family came over.
“I have to say the support was outrageous out there. The atmosphere was brilliant for both of us. To have them out there and doing it in front of them is really incredible.”
As for the Major starts that go to the champion, he was immediately looking forward to The Open.
“I’m going to be buzzing for that,” he said. “I love it. I'll absolutely love it. Hasn't really sunk in yet.
“Going to the Masters obviously, as well. I haven't even thought of that either. I'll just relish it, take it all in.
“I'm sure I'm going to go home tonight and sit down on the bed, like, oh, shit. Sorry, language. But, yeah, no, look, just part of winning, I guess, and just absolutely delighted.”
As for the Walker Cup, where he will be looking to avenge last year’s defeat at Cypress Point, he was delighted to secure his return to the team thanks to his win.
“Hugely delighted with this, but it would be nice to bring home the Walker Cup as well,: he said. “Haven't won it in ten years. That's something that we really want to do, and I think we can do.”
Moloney was generous in defeat.
“It's been a good run,” he said. “It obviously didn't go the way I wanted in the end, but it was very good.
“I think the putts just didn't necessarily go my way this morning. I hit some good putts that just didn't go in and either a slight misread or I hit it too hard or just too soft. That's just golf. That's sometimes how it goes.
“I wouldn't have done anything different. I felt like I did everything how I would have done it again, but yeah, just didn't necessarily go my way.
“It’s been a lot of golf. I played St Andrews Trophy as well and came straight from the NCAA National Championships. I'm tired. I'm ready to get home.”
