Tag: Austin Greaser

Three-down with nine to play, Michigan State’s James Piot comes back to win 121st U.S. Amateur at Oakmont

Piot defeated Austin Greaser in the 36-hole final, 2 and 1, at Oakmont on Sunday.

OAKMONT, Pa. — The first thing James Piot told Michigan State head coach Casey Lubahn when he got on campus was that he wanted to be an All-American. Lubahn laughed at first and suggested to start with All-Big Ten.

“I said, ‘No, coach, I want to be an All-American,’” remembered Piot. “I’ve always had high goals, and that’s been something that has driven me from day one, just going over the top, and they’re paying off now.”

Piot, an honorable mention Ping All-American last season for the Spartans, can now add “national champion” to his list of accomplishments. The Canton, Michigan, native took down North Carolina junior Austin Greaser in dramatic fashion during Sunday’s 36-hole final to win the 121st U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club, 2 and 1.

There’s a difference between close matches and good matches, and the morning round was a close match. Neither player had their best stuff early as both Greaser and Piot traded brief leads in their first trip around the famed track outside Pittsburgh. At the afternoon break, Piot held a 1-up lead after earning a conceded birdie on the 18th hole to card a 2-over 72 (with match play concessions). Greaser was three shots worse at 5-over 75.

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In the afternoon, Greaser came out firing with wins on three of the first four holes to flip the match and take a 2-up lead. Piot stopped the bleeding and the two tied the next four holes before Greaser extended his lead with a par on No. 9. Three-up with nine holes to play in the marathon finale, it seemed like the match was Greaser’s to lose. After all, he hadn’t lost a hole in the afternoon round.

Then Piot got to work with wins on five of the next six holes to take a 2-up lead thanks to two birdies and a handful of mistakes from Greaser. The pair traded pars down the stretch before the match ended on the 17th green after a clutch putt from Piot.

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U.S. Amateur final match preview: Staff picks, what to expect Sunday at Oakmont Country Club

Everything you need to know for the final match of the 121st U.S. Amateur.

OAKMONT, Pa. — Earlier this week 312 of the best male amateur golfers in the world made their way to Western Pennsylvania for the 121st U.S. Amateur.

After two rounds of stroke play, four lengthy weather delays and five rounds of match play, just two players remain standing tall.

North Carolina junior Austin Greaser will square off against Michigan State fifth-year senior James Piot in Sunday’s 36-hole final match at the famed Oakmont Country Club.

From Sunday’s television schedule and start time to staff picks and a preview, here’s everything you need to know for the final match of the 121st U.S. Amateur.

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Greaser vs. Piot, 9 a.m.

It’s tough to single out which player has the advantage in the final match.

If we’re being honest, the only reason Greaser didn’t end his semifinal match earlier was because he leaked a little oil down the stretch with a couple rare mistakes to let Vick back in it with a pair of pars. He powered through the adversity and clutched up when he needed to, which isn’t an easy task at Oakmont with 30-plus friends and family all watching in the gallery of hundreds.

Over five matches at Oakmont, Greaser has trailed for just six holes and hasn’t been down more than one. His length off the tee goes a long way at the hilly track outside Pittsburgh, and he’s walking the course with an infectious swagger that’s truly fun to watch.

That said, let’s not sleep on Piot’s chances.

The Spartan has stormed through match play in convincing fashion, winning three of his five matches by a 4-and-3 margin. He’s confident in his game and the work he’s put in this summer, and it shows out on the course. He’s got a knack for falling behind early on the first hole but has found a way to bounce back.

If it’s a tight match down the stretch, advantage Piot.

How to watch

Golf Channel: 3-4 p.m. ET

NBC: 4-6 p.m. ET

Staff picks

Lance Ringler: Austin Greaser

Julie Williams: Austin Greaser

Adam Woodard: Austin Greaser

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An ambitious James Piot keeps on rolling into U.S. Amateur final match at Oakmont

After working on his putting this summer, Piot is now rolling into the U.S. Amateur final.

OAKMONT, Pa. — Earlier this year James Piot spent some time in Pinehurst, North Carolina, to work on his putting before the summer amateur schedule.

Piot knew if he wanted to improve he needed to take a hard look at his mechanics to break “a continuous pattern of just being a streaky putter.”

What better test is there than the tricky greens at Oakmont Country Club? The Michigan State senior has been rolling the ball with the flat stick and after another 4-and-3 win on Saturday afternoon – this time at the expense of North Florida’s Nick Gabrelcik – finds himself in Sunday’s final match of the 121st U.S. Amateur.

“After being the No. 2 seed last year I knew I was capable of getting it done and making match play and from there anything can happen,” Piot said after his round. “So I just told myself one shot at a time and we’ll see.”

The Canton, Michigan, native shot rounds of 73 and 67 at Oakmont and the nearby Longue Vue Club, respectively, to finish T-29 in stroke play and earn the No. 31 seed. After a strong test from Arizona State’s Cameron Sisk in the Round of 64, Piot has blown through the rest of his matches, earning 4-and-3 wins in the Rounds of 32, 16 and today’s semifinal. On Friday evening in the quarterfinals he dispatched Matthew Sharpstene, a semifinalist last year at Bandon Dunes, 3 and 1.

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“It’s been confidence booster after confidence booster,” Piot said of his recent success, noting how the NCAA Championship in May was a bit of a letdown after missing the cut playing as an individual. “I just told myself I’ve been playing so much great golf but just keep pushing and don’t stop grinding. It’s paid off.”

Last season with the Spartans, Piot set the school’s scoring average record at 71.3 and became the program’s first player to reach the NCAA Championship as an individual since 2002.

Early on at Michigan State, head coach Casey Lubahn asked Piot what were his goals for college golf.

“I said, ‘I want to be an All-American.’ He at first laughed and goes, ‘How about we just start off at All-Big Ten or something like that.’ I said, ‘No, coach, I want to be an All-American,'” explained Piot. “I’ve always had high goals, and that’s been something that has driven me from day one, just going over the top, and they’re paying off now.”

Talk about ambition. Piot, who will be a fifth-year senior in East Lansing when he returns to campus later this month, knew he was coming back to Michigan State as soon as the NCAA offered up an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Another year of college is a no brainer since Michigan State is such a great spot,” Piot said with a smile.

In four years at Michigan State Piot’s become a leader for Lubahn’s crew and has amassed five impressive wins, including two Golf Association of Michigan titles (2018 and 2021) and three collegiate victories.

He’s now 36 holes away from adding another trophy to the case, that is if he can take down Austin Greaser.

The North Carolina junior had trailed for just three holes in four matches entering his semifinal bout against Texas’ Travis Vick, and the Vandalia, Ohio, native came out swinging again on Saturday.

Greaser and Vick traded 1-up leads on the front nine Saturday afternoon and made the turn all-square. Vick won the par-4 10th with a birdie, but then Greaser flipped a switch with wins on Nos. 11-14 thanks to three birdies to take a 3-up lead, the largest margin of the match. With his back against the wall and Greaser leaking a little oil, Vick took advantage and fought back to win the next two holes with par to cut the lead to just one. A Greaser birdie on the par-4 17th sealed the deal for the Tar Heel, 2 and 1.

“It fits my eye really, really well,” said Greaser of his success this week at Oakmont. “I think it allows me to take advantage of my length a lot. I think if you watch today and watched all week I hit driver a lot. I think just get it down there. There is a lot of trouble on this golf course, and I would rather be in the trouble way down instead of the trouble way back.”

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U.S. Amateur semifinal preview: What to expect Saturday at Oakmont

Everything you need to know for Saturday’s showdown.

OAKMONT, Pa. — Four players not only outlasted the loaded field of 312 of the world’s best male amateurs, but also weathered the storms this week outside Pittsburgh to punch their tickets to the semifinals of the 121st U.S. Amateur.

For the first time in three days, play wasn’t suspended due to dangerous weather at Oakmont Country Club, allowing the Rounds of 32, 16 and the quarterfinals to all be completed on Friday.

North Carolina’s Austin Greaser will square off against Texas’ Travis Vick at 2 p.m. ET, followed by Michigan State’s James Piot against North Florida’s Nick Gabrelcik at 2:20 p.m. ET.

With each match intriguing in its own way, here’s a preview of what to expect in Saturday’s semifinal showdowns.

Greaser vs. Vick

On paper this match couldn’t be closer.

Greaser has trailed for just three holes over four matches at Oakmont. He hasn’t played the 18th hole since his second round of stroke play. Vick has trailed just four holes and only one of his matches, a hard-fought quarterfinal against Brian Stark, went the full 18 holes.

Both players were all-conference selections as sophomores last season, and each has kept the ball rolling this summer. Greaser was a semifinalist two weeks ago at the Western Amateur, while Vick finished third at the Sunnehanna Amateur in June.

Piot vs. Gabrelcik

Unlike the first match, both players in this one had different roads to the semifinals.

Outside of his Round of 64 clash with Cameron Sisk, a 1-up win, Piot has cruised through match play with a pair of 4-and-3 wins in the Rounds of 64 and 32 and a 3-and-1 victory in the quarters. Gabrelcik is a bit more battle-tested this week, with three of his four bouts going the full 18. The match that didn’t? A 2-and-1 grind against Western Amateur champion Michael Thorbjornsen, the player many picked as the favorite this week.

Despite the close calls, Gabrelcik has been in control of his matches and hasn’t needed to mount a late comeback, nor has Piot. Expect another close one.

Semifinals

2 p.m. ET – Austin Greaser vs. Travis Vick

2:20 p.m. ET – James Piot vs. Nick Gabrelcik

TV/Streaming info

Saturday, Aug. 14

Golf Channel: 3-4 p.m. ET
NBC: 4-6 p.m. ET

Sunday, Aug. 15

Golf Channel: 3-4 p.m. ET
NBC: 4-6 p.m. ET

Austin Greaser feels right at home at the U.S. Amateur at Oakmont, where he’s trailed for just three holes

Nobody has been more dominant this week at Oakmont than the North Carolina junior.

OAKMONT, Pa. — In four matches at the famed Oakmont Country Club, Austin Greaser has trailed for just three holes, all in one match.

The North Carolina junior was the first player to punch his ticket to the semifinals of the 121st U.S. Amateur on Friday afternoon, defeating Ross Steelman, 2 and 1. After a strong sophomore campaign with the Tar Heels, Greaser has continued his impressive run of form all summer long and is one of just four players still standing from this week’s original field of 312 of the world’s best male amateurs.

“Just riding the wave, man. Golf’s up and down and right now it’s up for me,” said Greaser after his quarterfinal win. “Just trying to enjoy it and take advantage of it and just make it last as long as I can. I feel like my swing’s really in a good slot right now. It’s got a lot of good feels and my head’s in a good spot and the putter’s in a good spot. Match all those things up and we’re playing some pretty good golf.”

Pretty good golf? Talk about a classic undersell.

Greaser shot rounds of 69 and 70 at Longue Vue Club and Oakmont, respectively, in stroke play to finish T-20 and earn the 24th seed. He never trailed against Bo Andrews in the Round of 64, where he won, 2 and 1. In his Round of 32 match against Xavier Marcoux, he trailed on Nos. 5-7 before winning six of the next 10 holes to win, 3 and 2.

The Vandalia, Ohio, native made quick work of Jacob Bridgeman Friday morning in the Round of 16, winning 6 and 4, and steadily put away Steelman in the afternoon. He never trailed once on Friday.

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On top of that, Greaser was a semifinalist two weeks ago at the Western Amateur and earned five top-10 finishes this spring at North Carolina.

Despite growing up across the state line near Dayton, Ohio, and being 500 miles from campus, Greaser feels right at home this week for a handful of reasons, and it shows.

“I got a lot of my friends and family here. It means the world to me,” said Greaser of his support system, who let out an epic cheer after his quarterfinal win. “It’s a good four hours for us so it’s not horrible, but it’s not a short trip. So for them to come out here and support it means the world to me.”

Greaser also just loves a good, Midwest-style golf course, noting how Oakmont reminds him of Inverness in Toledo, Ohio, where he lost to eventual champion Preston Summerhays in the quarterfinals of the 2019 U.S. Junior.

“These courses just fit my eye, man,” said Greaser, who’s making his third U.S. Amateur start this week. But don’t let that fool you into thinking his past experiences in the championship have helped this week.

“I guess I’ve learned a lot the last two years but didn’t really even sniff the cuts and match play either year, so didn’t really have a whole lot to build off of,” explained Greaser while noting how last year’s championship at Bandon Dunes gave him a taste of wind he’s never felt. “Ever since then I’ve never felt like it was windy at all.”

2021 U.S. Amateur
Austin Greaser celebrates on the 17th hole after winning his match during the quarterfinals at the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (Chris Keane/USGA)

He’s also been working on his game between the ears.

“My head’s just in a better place this year,” said Greaser. “I’m just trusting myself, trusting the work I’ve put in and just letting my ability kind of do it or don’t do it. It’s golf, not every day you’re gonna have it but just go out there with the best mental mindset and just take care of business from there.

“Sometimes the chips fall your way, sometimes they don’t and just kind of got to take it in stride.”

His chip count is higher than the rest still at the table this week at Oakmont, with two big hands still to play.

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