Vandalia’s Greaser falls short in U.S. Amateur final

Austin Greaser tees off the ninth hole during the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur golf tournament Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021, at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. (Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)

Credit: Matt Freed

Credit: Matt Freed

Austin Greaser tees off the ninth hole during the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur golf tournament Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021, at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. (Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)

Vandalia native Austin Greaser on Sunday fell short in his bid to win one of the most prestigious titles in golf.

Greaser, a 20-year-old junior at North Carolina, dropped a 2 and 1 decision to Michigan State’s James Piot in the 36-hole championship match at the 121st U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.

Greaser had a 3-up lead with nine holes to play, but Piot won the next four holes and five of the next six to take a 2-up lead with three holes to play.

“I just didn’t execute on the back nine, didn’t execute the shots I needed to hit and he did,” Greaser told NBC’s Jim Mackay. “Hat’s off to him, he played a good match and great back nine.”

Facing a 1-up deficit after the morning 18, Greaser seized control by winning three of the first holes to start the afternoon 18 to take a 2-up lead.

Greaser, the 24th seed, and Piot, seeded 31st, halved the next four holes before Greaser won the 27th hole -- the par-4 ninth -- to go 3-up with nine holes to play.

Piot responded by winning the next four holes to take a 1-up lead.

Greaser rolled in a clutch birdie putt to halve the 32nd hole -- the par-4, 14th -- but a wayward drive on the 33rd led to a bogey. After the players’ halved the 34th hole, Piot closed out the match with a lengthy par putt on the 35th.

“There’s a lot to learn,” Greaser said. “I know I can play with and beat the best. It’s a tip of the hat to my game too. I just need to keep doing the same things and working hard.”

The win gives Piot an exemption into next summer’s 150th British Open at St. Andrews. As a finalist, Greaser will play in next year’s Masters and U.S. Open.

Greaser reached the title match by beating Travis Vick of Texas 2 and 1 in Saturday’s semifinals.

Greaser shot 1-under-par 139 (70-69) to tie for 20th in the stroke-play portion of the tournament earlier this week. The low 64 players advanced to match play. He opened match play with a 2 and 1 win over University of Tennessee assistant golf coach Bo Andrews. Greaser topped Canada’s Xavier Marcoux 3 and 2 in the Round of 32.

Greaser beat Clemson’s Jacob Bridgeman 6 and 4 and Georgia Tech’s Ross Steelman 2 and 1 on Friday to advance to the semifinals.

The runner-up finish capped a strong summer for Greaser, who reached the semifinals of the prestigious Western Amateur last month.

Last summer Greaser won the 2020 Ohio Amateur by eight shots with a record 18-under-par total. He reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2019.

In two seasons with the Tarheels, Greaser has seven top-10 finishes and five top-five finishes. His stroke average of 71.67 is on pace to the second lowest in UNC history.

At Butler, Greaser was a a three-time, first-team Greater Western Ohio Conference North Division honoree. He was a two-time GWOC North Division Player of the Year.

Piot joins an elite list of winners that includes a who’s who of golf: Francis Ouimet, Chick Evans, Bobby Johnson, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Deane Beman, Lanny Wadklins, Craig Stadler, Mark O’Meara, Hal Sutton, Jay Sigel, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Bryson DeChambeau.

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