Stuart Grehan became the first Irishman to win the Amateur Championship since 2019 last month. On Saturday he was part of the Ireland team that won European gold for the first time since 2008. So how about ending Ireland’s low-amateur drought at The Open and clinching the Silver Medal?
Grehan’s passage to Royal Birkdale was sealed by his Amateur Championship victory just down the road in Hoylake. Winning can become a habit and he hopes to add a fourth piece of silverware this season to the mantlepiece.
“Silver medal would be nice,” Grehan said of adding to the East, Amateur and European Teams titles. “I am going to get on the tee on Thursday and see how I am feeling, take it one shot at a time but at the end of the day that’s what we are all playing for there’s no point hiding away from it. I’m very comfortable in what I am doing. Links golf course, windy so I am used to it more than most.”
The 33-year-old must have thought when he was a struggling professional on mini tours and sitting in Bristol Airport waiting on a delayed Ryanair flight that days at The Open were not possible. But giving up the pro game to return to the Amateur ranks has made his dreams come true.
Dates at the Masters and US Open are out of his mind as he settles into the arena of an Open Championship and how he will tackle a firm and fiery Royal Birkdale.
Monday at the Open saw him share the fairways with his amateur compatriot David Howard and fellow Open champions Shane Lowry and Pádraig Harrington – the latter winning his second Claret Jug here in 2008.
Grehan, a member of County Louth Golf Club has won the Irish Amateur and East of Ireland titles in the last two seasons and much of his championship preparation is for links tests. One nugget of advice he picked up from Harrington sounds so simple but yet is absolutely to the point. There is no need to overcomplicate this week.
“Pádraig said to me walking up the tenth, you’ve played links golf many times you probably know more links golf than most of the guys. He said to play my own game this week and don’t look at what anyone else is doing so that was nice to see. I picked his brain on a couple of technique things and some chipping so it was nice. I really enjoyed the day it was nice.”
Grehan has had to work on his handwriting this week as he signs flags, Open Championship programmes and the odd glove and ball.
“It’s kind of weird people shouting your name but it’s good. I’m enjoying it I don’t feel to fazed by everything there is obviously a lot more people here than usual but I am really enjoying it and want to do well, put on a good job this week.”
After a marathon run of winning the Amateur and the European Teams in Estonia where he played two rounds of 18 hole strokeplay before three days of 36-hole matchplay, 13 holes was enough for day one of Open week as he conserves energy for Thursday.
He has a very appealing tee time as well with Open winner Cam Smith and PGA Tour regular Keith Mitchell. By no means does Grehan feel an imposter syndrome, he carries an air of confidence without the fear factor that most rookie amateurs would have.
“I got good times as well, 12:15 and I think 7 o’clock I was hoping I wasn’t going to get a 4 o’clock or something like that so I’ll take those. The two lads are very well renowned players so I look forward to that.
“I’ve played with many of these guys on tour in the past so it is nice to see them again from the amateur days growing up. I’m not too fazed by it, will I be nervous on Thursday? Yes. But when I hit my first tee shot I will be fine.”
As for the setup that Birkdale presents, the Offaly native likes what he sees and hopes his aggression off the tee pays off.
“I was expecting the greens to be a little firmer and the rough is not as heavy as I thought it would be the weather has thinned it out but it will be a test with the breeze, it’s quite windy and I’m sure they will tuck away a few pins. It will get harder so I just need to get the ball in the fairway as many times as I can and take it from there.
“I like it. A few tee shots I like I am playing quite well and I am comfortable with everything. I am driving the ball great and that’s a big asset around here.”
Grehan gets underway on Thursday 12:14pm on Thursday.
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