Gavin Tiernan points to mental game as he sets up Amateur Championship final against Ethan Fang at Sandwich

Irish Independent

9 hours ago

But the County Louth Golf Club and East Tennessee State University star (19) knows he can't start thinking about the spoils of victory at Royal Portrush next month and at Augusta National and Shinnecock Hills in 2026.
The Dubliner insists he will continue to take it one shot at a time when he faces the highly-fancied American and world number seven Ethan Fang in Saturday's 36-hole final at Royal St George's.
'The key is just to take it one shot at a time,' said Tiernan, who saw off Estonia's Richard Tender by one hole in the morning quarter-finals.
'I just keep limiting to my thoughts, trying not to get ahead of myself. You never know in matchplay, anything can happen. So I just try to stay grounded and do what I can.'
Tiernan produced a clinical performance to beat Fantinelli at the famed Sandwich links and after playing 139 holes to get this far - 18 in pre-qualifying, followed by 36 in qualifying proper and another 85 in five matchplay clashes – he knows the mental game will be key.
But he also knows he has the game to do battle with the best on links terrain after improving his game hugely over the past six months since joining ETSU's Cork-born coach Aaron O'Callaghan in the US.
'My game has come on so much since Christmas,' Tiernan explained. 'I've worked on a few things with my coach Aaron O'Callaghan and my game has just transformed.
'A big thing recently has been the mental game. That's the difference when it comes down to the nitty-gritty and something I've definitely improved on.'
He now faces 20-year-old Oklahoma State star Fang, who knocked out favourite and leading qualifier Connor Graham at the 20th on Thursday before seeing off Frenchman Callixte Alzas by two holes in the quarters and Finland's Veikka Viskari 5&4 in the semis.
'Yeah, I knew I was well capable to get here,' Tiernan said. "Doing it is a different story. I think that having that belief and -- belief is a huge thing, just believing you can do it. Your mind can take you to crazy places if you let it.
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'I'm just really happy to have a chance to get the trophy in my hands tomorrow.'
As for the rewards on offer, he's not quite blocking them out but accepting of the fact that he can't get ahead of himself.
'Well, the thing is not to try and avoid it,' he said. 'I think if you try and avoid thinking about it, you're just going to think about it more.
'I think you acknowledge it, you know that it's there, but just accepting it. If I want to get that, I need to take it one shot at a time and control what I can control.
'Looking ahead and getting ahead of myself is not going to do any good. Obviously you know it's there, but just trying to stay grounded and in the moment.'