Stuart Grehan has had an amazing two years since returning to the amateur game and he admits that today’s sensational Walker Cup comeback victory from Great Britain and Ireland is the best day he has ever had on a golf course.
Grehan was part of the winning team press conference alongside the hero of the day Josh Hill and GB&I captain Dean Robertson but it wasn’t long before the rest of the team, led by Luke Poulter who can certainly celebrate like his father Ian, crashed proceedings and ended the evening with a bellowing rendition of Wonderwall.
It was a wonderful day for GB&I, a wonderful day for Lahinch Golf Club, a wonderful day for the Walker Cup which has been given a new lease of life after the hosts won for the first time since 2015, and a wonderful day for golf. For Grehan, it was his greatest.
“Yeah, it’s definitely the highlight of my golf career to be honest. Individual titles are great, but to win as a team on the biggest stage you could do it really, it’s amazing,” said the 33-year-old.
“I’m just so happy for everyone involved — the background staff, the players. But I’m just so happy for Dean for all the time and effort he’s put in and everything he’s been through this year. I’m just absolutely delighted for him, to be honest.”
The 51st Walker Cup contest is arguably the most famous and Robertson will go down as a legend, not just for stopping the US dominance but for rallying his side to deliver one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time.
Grehan feels the Scotsman, who was retained as skipper after last year’s 17-9 defeat in Cypress Point, deserves all the accolades he gets.
“His legacy? Geez. He’s only the tenth GB&I captain to do it, isn’t he? That says everything. But I suppose his preparation, I’ve always said it, over the last two years — not even this year, last year as well — it was just incredible to get us as mentally prepared as possible, physically prepared as possible.
“I’m just so happy for him, the amount of time that him and his background staff put in. I’m just so, so chuffed for him. But he’s going to be a legend forever, isn’t he?”
Grehan produced a stirring comeback of his own coming from two holes down after two to beat the world number one Preston Stout on the 17th. Although he had a local caddie, Robertson was acting as a second man on the bag as he followed Grehan from the first shot to last.
The Offaly native admits his energy levels were on the floor in the morning foursomes given the magnitude of his heroics against Stout in the Saturday singles but Robertson with a few choice words! played a huge hand in rallying Grehan to turn around his match and set the tone for the nine players behind him.
“Most definitely the energy was taken out of our sails by the fantastic performance of the U.S. Team this morning. To lose 4-0 really put us behind the eight ball, and it was imperative that it was on Stuart. Stuart was game No. 1. It’s very difficult as a captain of the Walker Cup to really have influence or get a rhythm of any of the matches if you’re being here, there, and everywhere because you just become a supporter.
“So yesterday I chose — I went with Jack Whaley 18 holes, and you’re right there, you’re almost — you’re in his bubble. You’re feeling the shots. You’re understanding the way the golf course is playing and you’re not making decisions for them, but you’re making sure that he’s clear in the decisions he’s making and being committed.
“And today rather than standing on the 1st tee and becoming all — you know, you’re not doing anything but just wishing the players well as they go, and then before you know it, the first game is on the 9th hole or the 7th hole. My job today was to be with Stuart, to be by his side and to support him and to have his back.
“He went out there, and yesterday he was 3-down early. This afternoon he was 2-down early, but he showed grit. He showed character. He showed tenacity, and he brought what was required, which was the 11th man, the Irish crowd, and that energy was fed by it.
“But Luke Poulter and Jack Whaley played a part in that as well because I was telling Stuart — Stuart is 2-down, and I’m saying, these guys will do it behind you. You need to bring the energy, Stuart, come on. And he did. Literally, that was it.”
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