Stuart Grehan defeated Matt Moloney by one hole in the 36-hole final of The 131st Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool on Saturday, becoming the first Irish winner of the title since James Sugrue in 2019.

The 33-year-old from County Louth, ranked 46th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, rallied from three holes down in the morning session to claim the biggest victory of his career and earn an exemption into The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale next month, the 2027 US Open at Pebble Beach, and, by tradition, an invitation to the Masters Tournament.

“I’m absolutely over the moon. So much hard work has gone into it.”

A 2025 GB&I Walker Cup player who regained his amateur status in 2025 after a spell as a professional, Grehan works as a financial adviser in Dundalk, Ireland. His County Louth club-mate Gavin Tiernan lost in last year’s final at Royal St George’s, and Grehan followed in the footsteps of Joe Carr, the decorated Irishman who won the first of his three Amateur Championship titles at Royal Liverpool in 1953.

How the Final of the 2026 Amateur Championship Unfolded

Moloney, a 20-year-old rising junior at the University of Georgia, controlled the morning session. He was two up after five holes and extended his lead to three on the 12th as Grehan struggled with his swing, especially on the front nine.

Grehan’s first hole of the day came at the par-5 13th, where he made birdie after Moloney missed from seven feet. The American then bogeyed the 14th, and Grehan squared the match on the 16th when Moloney found the greenside bunker.

The match turned again on the 18th. Grehan’s drive found a bunker near the green and he was forced to come out sideways, while Moloney chipped to four feet and converted the birdie to take a one-hole lead into lunch.

“This morning I got off to a really slow start. I was really struggling with my swing and lunch came at a good time to reset. I went in at lunch on my own and just took a few minutes, and spoke to Dean Robertson (GB&I captain). I met with my coach, Dave Ruddy, on the range, and we talked through a couple of things. I played really well this afternoon and hit some great shots.”

Moloney lost his advantage quickly. The American made double-bogey on the 19th and bogey on the 20th to hand Grehan the lead. But the match kept swinging: Moloney birdied the 21st to level, then moved ahead again when Grehan three-putted the 22nd.

The decisive stretch came after Grehan squared the match on the 23rd. He holed a crucial 25-foot par putt to stay level on the 24th, then played an approach to within five feet on the par-5 26th to set up an eagle and a one-hole lead.

When Moloney got into trouble on the 28th and three-putted the 33rd, Grehan moved three up. But the American, who had needed the 18th hole or beyond in every previous match en route to the final, responded. He birdied the 34th and won the 35th when Grehan missed a 12-foot par putt.

That set up a one-hole match on the 36th. Grehan held his nerve to match Moloney’s par and close it out in front of a large gallery bolstered by a sizeable contingent of County Louth members who had flown in for the final.

“The support was amazing,” Grehan said. “They are the best supportive club in Ireland, to be honest. They go everywhere. My boss came over today, my coaches came over, my family came over.”

Moloney’s View

Moloney, ranked 677th in WAGR, had arrived at Hoylake after playing the St Andrews Trophy and the NCAA National Championships. Four of his match-play wins during the week came on the 18th green, with another decided on the 24th hole.

“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’m tired. I’m ready to get home.”

A Championship Venue

Royal Liverpool staged the inaugural Amateur Championship in 1885. This was the 19th time the event has been played at Hoylake, more than any other club. Grehan’s name now sits on the same roll of honour as Sir Michael Bonallack, José María Olazábal, Sergio Garcia and, most recently, Aldrich Potgieter.

Grehan’s attention now turns to Royal Birkdale.

“I’m going to be buzzing for The Open. I’ll love it. I’ll absolutely love it. I’m going to the Masters as well. I haven’t even thought of that either. I’ll just relish it and take it all in.”