Three down after three holes, Stuart Grehan never flinched.
The 33-year-old Irishman and reigning Amateur Champion played the final 15 holes at Lahinch at 8 under, winning the final three holes to defeat World No. 1-ranked amateur Preston Stout.
While the singles matches at Lahinch on Saturday afternoon resulted in a level outcome — the Americans winning four, Team Great Britain and Ireland winning four, GB&I carries a one-point lead (6 1/2 to 5 1/2) over the U.S. entering Sunday after winning the foursomes earlier in the day.
Grehan’s elite putting was on display throughout the 15-hole closing stretch, where he sank four different putts from more than 10 feet distance.
“I was actually surprisingly very, very calm,” said Grehan on the 18th green as Irish fans began to swarm him. “It was some match, both of us had an outrageous game.”
Stout’s approach shot on No. 15 was easily the best shot of the day for the red, white and blue. It unfortunately might be lost to time as the Oklahoma State rising senior bogeyed “Old Tom,” the par-3 16th hole, to open the door for Grehan’s comeback.
Preston Stout hunts down the flagstick 😳 pic.twitter.com/ko7CXFSup1
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) September 5, 2026
Grehan halved the deficit of the match on that hole, and walked up to the tee box at No. 17 just one behind Stout.
Grehan got the score to level with another long birdie putt, getting the crowd at Lahinch to erupt. Roughly 15 minutes later, Grehan was doing it again on the 18th green.
He rolled in a 15-foot putt to win the match, securing the point for GB&I and getting the crowds to roar the loudest they had all day.
“That was one loud roar,” said Grehan of the crowds while clutching his son Kai in his
arms.
Golf Channel’s Day 2 coverage live from Lahinch starts at 3 a.m. ET with morning foursomes. Single matches are set to start at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Fang, Leng Jr. pick up points for U.S.
U.S. Amateur runner-up Jay Leng got the better of Tyler Weaver, 2 and 1, in his singles match.
Weaver, the third-ranked amateur in the world, was undone by a late bogey at the 17th hole at Lahinch.
Jack Whaley, the player who beat Leng at Merion last month, fell behind in his singles match to Ethan Fang and could never make up the deficit.
Hagestad and Jennings rally
William Jennings and Stewart Hagestad were the other two American winners during Saturday’s singles.
Hagestad improved to a career 8-1 in Walker Cup single matches, winning 2 and 1 over Ben Bolton.
The veteran American found himself trailing through the first seven holes but wound up with three birdies over his next six holes. When that stretch was over, Hagestad had the lead and never turned back.
William Jennings also found momentum in the middle of his round before taking the lead over Connor Graham behind a birdie at No. 17. Jennings closed out the match as both players recorded par on the final hole.
Baker, Poulter and Sheils Donegan give GB&I narrow Day 1 lead
Niall Sheils Donegan helped turn the tide Dean Robertson’s squad by knocking off Tyler Watts, 3 and 2.
Earlier in the day during foursomes, Donegan lost a hole for him and his partner Josh Hill when he prematurely raked up his missed putt before the U.S. had conceded.
Despite the flub, Donegan walks away from Day 1 with a perfect record — a key to GB&I’s early success at Lahinch.
Eliot Baker also proved impenetrable for the Americans, where he found himself 5 up over Josiah Gilbert during their singles match.
Gilbert rallied late but not enough to catch Baker, who earned the point with a 3 and 2 triumph.
It was Luke Poulter who got the fourth and final point for GB&I to maintain the advantage heading into Sunday.
Miles Russell, who had won his foursome with Watts earlier in the day, never took the lead on Poulter over 18 holes.
The 17 year old did battle back from 2 down, with a birdie at No. 13 to bring the match to level.
Poulter was too good over the final five holes though, completing a 2 and 1 victory over the American rookie.
