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.
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.”
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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