Stuart Grehan defeated World Amateur Number 1 Matt Moloney 1-up to win the 131st Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Irishman secured the title on the 36th hole, earning immediate exemptions into The Open at Royal Birkdale next month, followed by invites to the 2027 Masters and US Open.
Grehan told Sky Sports he was “absolutely over the moon” after the grueling final. He admitted to struggling with his swing early in the morning session before using the midday lunch break to reset his mechanics. That adjustment allowed him to build a commanding 3-up lead with just three holes left to play.
Moloney fought back late in the afternoon, cutting the deficit down to a single shot. Grehan ultimately held his nerve to match pars on the final hole, sealing his 1-up victory and the accompanying major championship exemptions.
The win caps an unlikely career resurgence for the Tullamore native. Grehan retired from professional golf 18 months ago at age 31 before returning to the elite amateur ranks. He entered the tournament on a dominant run, holding titles from the East of Ireland, the Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open, and the AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship.
He is the first Irish winner of The Amateur Championship since James Sugrue took the trophy in 2019. The victory also delivers redemption for his home course, County Louth Golf Club, coming exactly one year after club-mate Gavin Tiernan lost in the 2025 final.