Lahinch. Walker Cup. The wind currently gusting up to 65 km/h with sporadic squally showers. This is the weather Great Britain and Ireland wished for and Stuart Grehan is licking his lips at the prospect of inflicting revenge on Team USA this weekend.
They say the bitter sting of defeat can act as motivation to right the wrongs of last time out. It is clear that last year’s 19-7 defeat to the USA in Cypress Point still rankles with GB&I with captain Dean Robertson and six of the ten players retained from twelve months ago and eager for vengeance.
The 17-9 scoreline doesn’t tell the full tale of the tape. A gallant GB&I trailed by just one point heading into the Sunday singles only to be blitzed 8.5-1.5 on that fateful afternoon – Gavin Tiernan was the only winner for GB&I. GB&I haven’t won a Sunday singles session since their last victory in the contest in 2015 and have won just two singles sessions since then. It’s clear where they need to improve if they are to stop USA from winning six contests in a row.
“Put it this way,” said Amateur champion Grehan who has looked steely eyed all week in his quest to get one over on the US. “I was very, very disappointed last year. Call a spade a spade, yeah.”
“Normally if I’m playing a stroke play tournament, I’ll just hit an iron or hybrid off the tee and then hit iron on to the green,” he said. “But maybe with the back left flag, you might think about hitting driver right.
“Look, for me, I think the rough is not that heavy this week, but at the same time you’ve got zero control of the ball out of it. As long as I get the ball in the fairway, I think I have a great chance against anyone.”
Grehan, the elder statesman of the team at 33, was one of the players part of last year’s losing side. Robertson has already said his experience both in the game and with links golf, a former South of Ireland champion here at Lahinch, will be invaluable to his team.
“I’ve played here a bunch of times. I’ve probably played 30, 40 times out here, and yeah, I don’t have to, I suppose, practise as much as around the greens as most of the guys. I kind of know the little subtle breaks,” explained Grehan who sees no inferiority complex facing the Americans who boast nine of the world’s top-12.
“I’ve been trying to give my best advice to them, but look, they’re all really good players and we’ve done incredible prep, I feel like, over the last few days, and we’ll see how it goes. But I think we’re all very, very happy where we’re at.”
Grehan was a touring professional for eight years and when he regained his amateur status at the end of 2024, the Walker Cup in Lahinch was firmly on his mind as a target. Making the team last year was a bonus but it’s weeks like this is why he gave up the slog of lonely late nights at airports and dodgy accommodation in the pro ranks.
“Yeah, it’s amazing. Yeah, something I’ve always kind of looked towards, look forward to. As you said, to be here now, yeah, it’s pretty cool. I’ve got some family that’s come in last night, and it’s kind of starting to hit home when there’s a few more people floating around, so the excitement is building.”
As is Walker Cup tradition, each player has a local caddie – Grehan has been assigned Martin Garrihy.
“Yeah, my caddie Martin, he’s good fun, good craic. We’ve had a good time. I’m not going to repeat some of the stories he’s told me. We’ve had some good fun out there. But I ask him the odd bit if I’m really struggling with something.
“Yeah, he’s kind of getting to know me pretty well over the last few days, so he’s doing a good job.”
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