IRISH OUT OF US AMATEUR

Irish participation in the 126th US Amateur Championship at Merion Golf Club & Philadelphia Country Club is over as all three Irish entrants failed to make it out of stroke play qualifying and into the matchplay stages.

All three Irish challengers played Merion first and Philadelphia Country Club second in the 36-hole qualifier.

Gavin Tiernan was the nearest to making the cut, finishing on a 4-over-par total of 144 after rounds of 73 (M) and 71 (P), just two shy of the projected cut.

Matthew McClean added a 75 (P) to his first round 75 (M) for a 6-over total of 146, while Amateur Champion Stuart Grehan couldn’t recover from his first round of 77 (M) and added a 72 (P) to finish on 9-over 149.

Local boy Joshua Ryan delighted the Main Line crowds when he returned an 8-under-par total of 132, with stunning rounds of 67 (P) and 65 (M), to earn medalist honours. Play was suspended due to darkness at 8.09pm with a handful of competitors still to finish their rounds and the cut is projected at 2-over-par.

Photo: Gavin Tiernan watches his tee shot at the 18th hole during the second round of stroke play of the 2026 U.S. Amateur. (Dustin Satloff/USGA)