Gavin Tiernan pipped at the last hole as Ethan Fang claims Amateur Championship title
19-year-old Gavin Tiernan was narrowly defeated in the Amateur Championship final by US opponent Ethan Fang at Royal St George's.
Tiernan was ranked outside the top 1000 male amateur golfers sitting at 1340th in the world.
Fang came out on top in the final after their 36-hole battle which was decided on the final green - Tiernan had led for large portions of the contest.
Fang hit a near perfect final approach on the last flag with Tiernan needing to putt a very long birdie to apply pressure to his American oppenent.
It looked like it was going to drop but just crept past the final hole which allowed Fang to roll in a four footer to claim the prestigious title earning entry to next month's Open along with entry to the 2026 Masters.
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LOUTH'S GAVIN TIERNAN was beaten in a thrilling 36-hole battle with America's Ethan Fang in the Amateur Championship final at Royal St George's. Tiernan was an unexpected finalist, ranked outside the 1000 male amateur golfers in the world, at 1340th. Advertisement But the 19-year-old more than held his own against the world number seven. Tiernan found himself one-up after 18 holes, having never trailed in the opening round, before Fang fought back to take a two-up lead as Tiernan registered bogeys across three of his first five holes. Yet Tiernan battled back and excellent putts on the 16th and 17th put the pair level again moving toward the 36th hole. A superb approach shot from Fang then set up the American to birdie the hole and claim the title. Fang's reward includes an invitation to play at next month's Open in Royal Portrush, along with the 2026 Master and US Open.
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The Dubliner (19) was two down after eight holes, but he fought back to square the match by the 10th before coming out on top over the last eight holes. Teder won the 13th with a par to go one up again before Tiernan birdied the par-three 16th to square the match for the second time. Both men had chances to birdie the 17th, but at the 18th, it was Tiernan who emerged victorious, firing a wedge to 10 feet and two-putting as the Estonian bounded over the green onto a gravel path. He got a free drop but hit a poor third to 20 feet and failed to save par before Tiernan completed the job after a tentative first putt. "This whole week, I've just been thinking one shot at a time and coming down the stretch, that's what I kept repeating to myself," the East Tennessee State University man said. "And then, you know, I hit a nice one down the last. I actually felt fine. I wasn't really nervy or anything. And then I hit a nice one in, and while it wasn't my greatest first putt, it got the job done." Tiernan, who was named today on Ireland's six-man team for next month's European Amateur Team Championships in Killarney, is on track to win starts in The Open at Royal Portrush and the 2026 Masters if he can go all the way. His links background should help as he takes on Italy's Riccardo Fantinelli, who was a 4&3 winner of Australia's Billy Dowling, in this afternoon's semi-finals.
