Stu-pendous home success for Grehan in Irish Amateur Championship at Seapoint
The 32-year-old former professional is a native of Offaly, but he now lives in Termonfeckin and that made the victory all the more special.
He started the final round four shots in arrears after carding a level-par 72 on Saturday but saved his best until last, shooting a bogey-free 66 to take the championship to extra holes before he won it on the 10th green.
Going into the final day, the defending champion Matt McClean from the Malone club was still in contention after opening with a course-record 64 and he went on to set a -13 total and assume the clubhouse lead after landing eight birdies in his last round.
Marlborough's Hayward was also in the shake-up along with County Louth's Gerard Dunne, while Grehan started the final round four shots adrift in a tie for fourth place.
He went on to put together an outstanding 18 holes, though, and when his approach landed on 18th green he had a real chance of posting an insurmountable lead.
However, his eagle putt finished inches short and that left Hayward with a birdie chance to win, but he missed his chance and the tournament went to a play-off.
The atmosphere became more tense when Grehan went over the 18th green on the second play-off hole, but Hayward missed his opportunity and Grehan made him pay after they returned to the 10th.
As Grehan celebrated with his young family, he said he was 'absolutely thrilled', revealing that he regularly walks his dog around the Seapoint area.
It was only last October that Grehan called time on his career as a touring professional to focus on his work as a financial consultant, expressing the wish that he could regain his amateur status and challenge for a place on Great Britain and Ireland's team for the 2026 Walker Cup in Lahinch.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned Gerard Dunne eventually finished in a tie for fourth in Sunday's finale, with Dundalk's Caolan Rafferty tied for 15th and Seapoint's leading finisher Dylan Keating in 29th place.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
8 hours ago
- RTÉ News
First Division wrap: Leaders Dundalk held as Cobh Ramblers win to get closer
Late goals for both sides ensured a share of the spoils in a tense game at Oriel Park as Treaty United struck late to snatch a 1-1 draw against league leaders Dundalk. It looked as if the Lilywhites had laid claim to the three points with an 85th-minute strike from Harry Groome, only for it to be cancelled out in added-on time by Mark Walsh to earn the Shannonsiders a draw. Dundalk went close to scoring in the opening seconds of the game with a Daryl Horgan free-kick, which was met by Eoin Kenny at the back post, but the forward's header flashed wide. Treaty defender Richkov Boevi was inches from scoring in the 14th minute, with his goalbound header from a corner being cleared off the line by the outstretched Enda Minogue, who was forced to make a vital stop. Despite continued pressure, the Lilywhites failed to convert a series of chances as Treaty continued to look dangerous on the counterattack. Kenny once again had a clear sight on goal in the 30th minute but was unable to convert, while Lee Devitt struck the side-netting for the visitors moments later. Sean McHale sent his headed effort just over the bar for Dundalk in the 55th minute from a Daryl Horgan free as the goal continued to elude the home side in the opening period of the second half. McHale was then called into action to make an important block as Sullivan's strike from the edge of the area had to be deflected for a corner. The resulting set piece in the 60th minute saw Treaty almost squeeze the ball home, only for Aodh Dervin to make a vital intervention off the line. Dundalk looked certain to score from a breakaway attack from midfield with Eoin Kenny setting Leo Gahxa down the right, but the Dundalk winger's low effort whistled past the post. The home side would score late in the contest, with Harry Groome finding the net in the 85th minute. Treaty failed to clear their defensive lines from a Keith Ward corner, with the ball recycled on the left by Andy Paraschiv. He laid the ball to Groome with the Dundalk midfielder striking first time to rifle the ball to the back of the net, leaving Chambers flat-footed. The action was yet to be concluded with Treaty scoring in added time to snatch a point with captain Mark Walsh latching onto the ball in the Dundalk area and squeezing his effort past Minogue to grab a point for the away side. Elsewhere, Cobh Ramblers narrowed the gap at the top to just four points following a comprehensive 3-0 win at UCD. Barry Coffey's sixth-minute strike handed the visitors the perfect start against the Students at the UCD Bowl, and they doubled their lead in the tenth minute through Sam Bellis. Coffey was then on hand six minutes before the break to bag his brace and secure the three points for Ramblers. Bray Wanderers ' title ambitions took a major hit as they went down 2-1 to Kerry as they remain in third place, nine points off the top. Kennedy Amechi's opening-minute strike handed the hosts the early lead, and while Max Murphy levelled from the spot in the 52nd minute, Kerry would seal the victory through Abel Alabi's 87th-minute winner. Longford took the points with a slender victory in Wexford, with Emre Topcu's sixth-minute strike the difference between the two sides, while Athlone Town and Finn Harps prop up the table following their scoreless draw. Dundalk: Enda Minogue, Sean McHale, Aodh Dervin, Daryl Horgan, Harry Groome, Dean Ebbe (Keith Ward 76), Leo Gaxha, Luke Mulligan, Vincent Leonard, Eoin Kenny, Shane Tracey (Andy Paraschiv 68). Treaty United: Corey Chambers, Richkov Boevi, Lee Devitt, Colin Conroy (Stephen Healy 80), Yousef Maddy, Nikodem Kozlowski (Roy Lawlor 67), Evan O'Connor, Mark Walsh, Mark Murphy (Connor Willson 67), Eoin Martin, Karl O'Sullivan.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Rory McIlroy eager for birdie mode at Travelers after finding a ‘feeling' off the tee at Oakmont
While he has been battling for motivation since winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam, he has also struggled to hit fairways until last week. Getting emotionally and physically ready for The Open at Royal Portrush is his next big goal, and after driving the ball well at Oakmont, he's looking forward to making birdies at TPC River Highlands. 'Definitely last week, I found a feeling, especially off the tee, that was repeatable, that was working well, and I led strokes gained off the tee last week, which was a big thing for me,' McIlroy said. Making birdies in Connecticut should help his mood. 'I think the weeks after Major championships in these events, sometimes when you are in contention and you are trying to win them, it can feel quite difficult to go play the next week,' added McIlroy, who shot a joint-best of the day 67 on Sunday to tie for 19th 'After a week like I had at Oakmont, where you are not quite in the mix but you might feel you find something in your game, you are excited to come back and play again. 'This is the perfect sort of chaser for what Oakmont was last week, and nice to get out on a golf course where you feel you can make quite a few birdies.' McIlroy is joined in the field by Shane Lowry, who missed the cut at Oakmont but plays his fourth event in a row in the knowledge that he tied for ninth behind Scottie Scheffler last year. 'There are a lot of guys in the field this week where this is their fourth tournament in a row, so they have been put through the wringer the last few weeks,' McIlroy said. 'This is a welcome setup where they feel like they can relax a little bit and not have to grind so much for your score.' McIlroy will play the first two rounds alongside US Ryder Keegan Bradley, who believes new US Open champion JJ Spaun will be a big asset to his team. ADVERTISEMENT 'I think going to a course like Bethpage Black, the people are really going to be behind a guy like JJ Spaun,' Bradley said. It's a major week for Leona Maguire, who will be trying to end a miserable run of form in the KPMG Women's PGA at 6,600-yard Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco. The Cavan star arrives in Texas on the back of four successive missed cuts and faces tough conditions in 30c temperatures for her opening round alongside American Joanna Coe and Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit. There is no event on the DP World Tour this week, but Max Kennedy, Mark Power and Dermot McElroy are playing in the HotelPlanner Tour's Blot Play9 at Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André in France. Meanwhile, County Louth's Gavin Tiernan was the only Irish player to get through the first round of the Amateur Championship at Royal St George's. He beat Scotland's Niall Shiels Donegan on the 18th to set up a last-32 clash with Belgium's Jarno Tollenaire. Galgorm's Joshua Hill lost 3&2 to Canada's Isaiah Ibit, while County Louth's Stuart Grehan fell 4&2 to Mexico's Rodrigo Vasquez. Leading qualifier Conor Graham of Scotland had to dig deep to see off Denmark's Mads Viernose Larsen on the 21st. Travelers Championship, 8pm
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Kerry FC captain Sean McGrath: If you're not playing to get to the play-offs, what are you playing for?
The club captain is closing in on making his 100th appearance for Kerry FC and continues to be a central figure in the team in every sense Kerryman It is probably no surprise that Kerry FC's consistent form over the last six weeks or so has coincided with a welcome return to the goal scoring ranks for captain Sean McGrath. Just one defeat – to league leaders Dundalk – in their last six games is an encouraging statistic. For the Ballyduff man, a return of three goals from those half a dozen outings will, most certainly, please manager Colin Healy. Indeed, from the moment that he slotted home the only goal, from the spot, against UCD at Belfield on May 2, the skipper has grown in confidence. Related topics Kerry FC
