County Louth golfer Grehan creates history in Mayo

County Louth golfer Stuart Grehan made history as he claimed the AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship in Westport, writes Daragh Small.

Twenty years on from a famous victory for Rory McIlroy at the Mayo venue, it was Grehan who made a statement with this win in resplendent sunshine on the back of his Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open Championship at Seapoint in May.

Peter O’Keeffe (2021) is the only other golfer to have completed that double since a young Padraig Harrington’s sensational feat way back in 1995, just before he turned professional.

“My game, I feel like it’s really good, really strong,” said Grehan. “I can probably be a bit too hard on myself and I’m always trying to work on that, but I was getting a little bit frustrated just with the putting. But I’m absolutely delighted to be standing here as a Close champion.”

Carton House golfer Alex Kerins made the big move on Sunday, when he shot nine birdies for a scintillating 64 and the clubhouse lead at 11 under.

Grehan had posted 65 on Friday and 73 in the second round, and after a 70 earlier on Sunday, he only had one shot to spare when Kerins signed for his score.

The Tullamore native had bogeyed the Par 3 12th but soon steadied with back-to-back pars. Grehan had birdied four and five earlier in his round, and that put him in the ascendency while his playing partner struggled.

Benjamin Oberholzer (Clandeboye) had bogeys on four, six and 10, and that put paid to his chances, with a birdie on 13 only meaning he was still three shots in arrears.

Grehan regained his amateur status ahead of the season and he showed all of his experience down the back nine, with a birdie on 15 sealing the win.

“It was a little bit stressful coming in there but I felt my game all day, ball-striking wise, was very strong, so just kind of backed it up then coming in and very happy now,” said Grehan.

“I had 18 as my target – 18 under – but it was a bit trickier today. I definitely hit it well enough, just my putting wasn’t the best today, but I was delighted to get over the line.

“I hit the shots I needed to hit coming down the stretch, so delighted.”

Among local players, the best results were: T16 T.J. Ford, County Sligo; T19 David Kitt, Athenry; T21 John William Burke, Ballyhaunis; 25 Aodhagan Brady, County Sligo; T26 Luke O'Neill, Connemara; T29 Cormac Ó Muirithe, Belmullet; T31 Conor Stapleton, Westport. View the final scoring here.