Grehan opens with 75 at US Amateur
Joaquin Niemann plays his tee shot on the 11th hole during first round of stroke play of the 2017 U.S. Amateur at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)
Stuart Grehan needs a low round at Riviera Country Club today after opening with a five-over 75 in the first qualifying round of the US Amateur Championship at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles
The Walker Cup hopeful from Tullamore is tied for 154th with only the top 64 after today's second round going through to the matchplay stages at Rivera on Wednesday.
The recent Mullingar Scratch Trophy winner opened with a birdie four but he could make just one more birdie after that — at the 11th.
Bogeys at the second and fifth and a double at the 10th left him on three over. But while he got back to two over with seven to play, he dropped shots at the 13th, 15th and 18th to dent his chances of making the first round draw tomorrow.
Grehan is one of seven players from Great Britain and Ireland in the field.
But it was a mixed day for them with Scotland's Robert MacIntyre lead the way in a share of seventh after a two under 68 at Bel-Air.
England's Jack Singh Brar shot a one-under 69 at Riviera to share 15th with Scott Gregory's 70 and Connor Syme's 70 at Bel-Air good enough to leave them tied 27th and 61st respectively.
Scott Gregory plays from a green side bunker on the 13th hole during first round of stroke play of the 2017 U.S. Amateur at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif. on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. Copyright USGA/JD Cuban
England's Harry Ellis is 93rd after a 73 at Bel-Air with Alfie Plant, the Silver Medal winner in The Open, 117th after a 74 at Riviera.
San Franciso born Redmond Lyons, who is also representing Ireland as his parents are from Louisburgh in Mayo (his Aunt Mairead Staunton is Lady Captain of Westport this year), shot a 77 at Riviera to share 213th with England's Daniel Sutton back in 262nd after a 79.
San Diego's Norman Xiong and Oklahoma's Hayden Wood posted six-under 64s at Riviera and Virginia's Mark Lawrence Jr. a 64 at Bel-Air to lead by two strokes from New York's Arthur Griffin, who shot 66 at Bel-Air.
World Amateur No 1 Joaquin Niemann of Chile shot a 68 at Riviera to share seventh place.
The top 64 were on two-over par or better after the opening day.
