Stuart Grehan claimed the biggest victory of his career as the Irishman triumphed in the 131st\u00a0Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool.<\/p>\n
In a tight, tense 36-hole showdown, the 33-year-old from County Louth thwarted a late rally by Matt Moloney of the United States of America and won by one hole to be the first Irish winner since James Sugrue in 2019.<\/p>\n
A year after his County Louth club-mate, Gavin Tiernan, had lost in the final at Royal St George\u2019s, Grehan went one better and followed in the footsteps of the decorated Irishman, Joe Carr, who won the first of his three Amateur Championship titles at Royal Liverpool in 1953.<\/p>\n
As well as joining a roll of honour of considerable distinction, Grehan\u2019s success also earned him an exemption into the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale next month, the 2027 US Open, and, by tradition, an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament.<\/p>\n
On a bright, breezy day over the famed Hoylake links, which staged the very first Amateur Championship in 1885, it was Moloney who gained the upper hand in the morning\u2019s opening 18 holes.<\/p>\n
While Grehan struggled to find his rhythm, especially on the front nine, Moloney was largely neat and tidy from tee to green and could have fashioned a bigger advantage had his putting been more clinical.<\/p>\n
Two up after five holes, the American would increase that lead to three on the 12th\u00a0as Grehan failed to get up and down from a mound to the left of the green.<\/p>\n
The Irishman, ranked 46th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, needed a spark, and he got it on the par-5 13th\u00a0with a birdie and won his first hole of the day when Moloney missed his own birdie putt from seven feet.<\/p>\n
The American then made his first bogey of the round on the 14th\u00a0and lost the hole before Grehan squared the match on the 16th\u00a0as his opponent was punished after venturing into the greenside bunker.<\/p>\n
The momentum was certainly with Grehan, but the pendulum swung back in Moloney\u2019s favour on the 18th. Grehan\u2019s booming drive found the bunker near the green and he had to come out sideways.<\/p>\n
Moloney, meanwhile, played a skilful chip to within four feet and rolled in the birdie putt to take a one-hole lead into lunch.<\/p>\n
His advantage did not last long, however. The 20-year-old made a double-bogey on the 19th\u00a0and a bogey on the 20th\u00a0to hand Grehan a one-hole lead.<\/p>\n
The fluctuating nature of the match continued as Moloney responded on the 21st\u00a0with a birdie to restore parity before inching ahead again when Grehan three-putted the 22nd.<\/p>\n
The large gallery, bolstered by a sizeable and vocal following of County Louth members who had flown in for the final, were savouring an intriguing, keenly fought contest.<\/p>\n
Having squared the match again on the 23rd, Grehan conjured a couple of telling moments as the tie intensified.<\/p>\n
The 2025 GB&I Walker Cup player made a crucial 25-foot putt for par to stay level on the 24th\u00a0before playing a sublime approach to within five feet on the par-5 26th\u00a0which led to an eagle and a one-hole lead.<\/p>\n
When Moloney got into trouble on the 28th,\u00a0then three-putted the 33rd,\u00a0Grehan was three holes up but his American rival, who had been to the 18th\u00a0green and beyond in all of his previous rounds en route to the final, refused to throw in the towel.<\/p>\n
He birdied the 34th\u00a0to win a hole back and reduced the deficit to just one when Grehan missed a 12-foot putt for par on the 35th.<\/p>\n
The title would be decided on the 36th\u00a0and Grehan held his nerve amid the tension to match Moloney\u2019s par and become the 131st\u00a0Amateur Champion.<\/p>\n
Grehan\u2019s name now sits alongside Sir Michael Bonallack, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia and, more recently, Aldrich Potgieter as amateur champions.<\/p>\n