Grehan can head for Augusta National with confidence

Stuart Grehan of Ireland tees off the 1st during day two of The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.

Stuart Grehan is determined to learn the lessons of his chastening major championship debut ahead of taking up hard-won entries into next year’s Masters and US Open.

The Baltray golfer’s British Amateur champion status earned last month opened doors into all three of those majors and the 33-year-old left The Open at Royal Birkdale on Friday with morale restored somewhat as he followed an opening 76 on Thursday with a second-round, one-under-par 69.

He can now go to Augusta National next April with greater confidence.

“I thought I dealt with the crowds and everything,” Grehan said. “I quite enjoyed that, relished that, so I can take a little bit of confidence from that, that I'm able to take it all in and hit some nice shots.

“Obviously (work on my) putting, but a few wedge shots, as well, I didn't really hit any close. Took me a long time to hit a ball close. I think 13 today. So you're 30 holes into the tournament to hit a ball close. That's not good enough, especially at this level.” 

Former Birkdale Open winner Padraig Harrington improved by 11 shots from rounds one to two as he too exited at the midway point, shooting a one-under 69 while 2011 champion Darren Clarke went the other way from an opening 73 to a 74. 

Tom McKibbin also suffered an early departure after falling one shot on the wrong side of the one-over-par cutline.