Opening Golf to the World
The Amateur
Estonian Richard Teder reaches quarter-finals for third time at The Amateur Championship
18 Jun 26
7 mins
Richard Teder of Estonia earned his way into the quarter-finals of The 131st Amateur Championship for the third time in four years.
During a compelling day of keenly contested competition, Teder showed his class with two hard-earned victories which see him into the last eight. Teder, who became the first Estonian to play in The Open last year and reach the quarter-finals of The Amateur in 2023, covered the final six holes of his second round match against Deitrek Gill of the USA in four-under-par to turn a two-hole deficit into a one-hole victory. Teder then produced another defiant display in his last-16 match with Yuki Miya of New Zealand and came from behind again to win by a 2&1 margin. Three-down after eight holes, Teder, who is reaping the rewards of his work with a new putting coach, kick-started his recovery on the 9th with a chip to within ten-feet which earned a birdie. He clawed another hole back on the 10th when he rolled in a birdie putt of 15-feet as the comeback gathered pace. All-square after 12, Teder inched ahead when Miya stumbled to a bogey on the 15th and the Estonian doubled his lead in spectacular style on the 16th when he made a decisive eagle from the fringe of the green to all but seal the victory. “It's been unbelievable at The Amateur," he said. "It's just the biggest championship for me in the amateur scene. You just have to play good, it's just one of those weeks where you just cannot play bad. “I love the links course, and I've been struggling this year, but kind of gotten the game in a very, very good shape, which I tend to do for The Amateur every single year, which is awesome. “This season for sure; my ball striking has been out of this world and I've actually seen a putting coach for the first time in my life a week ago, so that has taken my putting to a completely different level, which is awesome to see. “I mean, I haven't got past the quarter-finals yet, but I've never been playing so good so I am pretty confident going into tomorrow.” Teder will now face the USA’s Reed Arnaldo, who took 23 holes to defeat Denmark’s Oscar Valdemar Holm Bredkjær.
Richard Teder played some excellent golf en route to the quarter-finals.
In the longest match he has ever contested, Matt Moloney of the USA emerged victorious at the 24th hole over Arthur Carlier of France to book a quarter-final berth.
There was never more than one hole between them during a closely fought encounter over 18 holes and the pair were finally separated on the sixth extra hole when Carlier slipped to a costly bogey after finding an awkward spot in the rough.
Spurred on by last year’s Amateur Championship success of his good friend and compatriot Ethan Fang, Maloney is determined to keep the trophy in American hands
"Ethan (Fang) is a friend of mine," he said. "I played with him in the practice rounds last year at Royal St George's.
"He is a great kid and he obviously played very well, he is a great player, but it was cool to see him get it done. Playing with him a few times now, I know that it's possible for me to compete with him.”
The last time US golfers won back-to-back Amateur Championships was 50 years ago when Dick Siderowf won in 1976 to follow up Vinny Giles’ victory 12 months earlier.
Moloney will now face a last-eight match with his highly-rated countryman, Kihei Akina.
At number 22 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings® (WAGR®), Akina is the highest-placed player left in the draw and he demonstrated all his qualities with a late win against Sweden’s Jakob Melin in round three.
One-down through 16 holes of a high-quality contest, Akina made a crucial birdie on 17 to draw level before a superbly executed pitch across the 18th green to within two-feet led to a match-winning birdie.
Englishman Sam Easterbrook reeled off two impressive victories as his tilt at the title gathered momentum.
The 20-year-old overcame the reigning R&A Boys’ Amateur champion, Guus Lafeber, by 3&1 in the morning before easing to a 3&2 victory over Stefan Jacobs of South Africa.
Jacobs had ended the ambitions of the leading qualifier, Wilhelm Ryding, in round two and despite a birdie, eagle start against Easterbrook, it was the Englishman who eventually sealed a quarter-final tie with Germany’s Emil Riegger.
Stuart Grehan, looking to become the first Irish champion since James Sugure in 2019, earned his last-eight spot the hard way with a 20th hole win over Spain’s Sergio Jimenez Romero.
Grehan was immediately on the back-foot as Romero opened with a trio of birdies to race to a two-hole lead.
The Walker Cup man drew on his experience and a 15-foot putt for par on the 10th just to stay two-down highlighted his resilience.
From there, Grehan, who has his father-in-law as his caddie this week, chipped away at Romero’s lead and, having restored parity on the 17th, the 33-year-old took advantage of his opponent’s troubles on the 20th to win.
“I’m very relieved. It was a really tough match against Sergio," he said. "I think the only time I was up was on the last hole there, the 20th. So very happy. It was a hard-fought win; a few clutch putts coming in from both of us.
Stuart Grehan had his father-in-law and caddie Dan to thank after reaching the quarter-finals.
“To be honest, he was kind of up all day. He played really well at the start of the game. I think he was maybe three or four-under and I just couldn't get a hold on him. But I think the biggest turning point was maybe around 10. I had probably about a 15-footer for a half to stay two-down. I got a little momentum off that and got him back to one-down on 13, and then I won the 17th as well.
“I just relied on experience I guess. I wasn't in the best form I would say through 10 or 11 holes, so I have to credit my caddie and father-in-law, Dan. He was excellent. He kept me in it.”
Grehan will now play England’s Edward Featherstone, who was a 3&1 winner over Malan Potgieter of South Africa.
The quarter-final matches get underway at Royal Liverpool tomorrow at 8:02am.
The winner of Saturday’s 36-hole Final will secure exemptions into The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale next month, the US Open, and, by tradition, an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament.
The Amateur Championship is one of the biggest and most prestigious amateur championships in the world and features a starting line-up of 288 players.
The first Amateur was held at Hoylake in 1885 where 44 players from 12 clubs competed. Some of golf’s greatest names have triumphed in the event, including Bobby Jones, José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia.
Spectators are welcome and can attend free of charge or people can watch the final two days live at home on R&A TV.
You can view the day's match play results, and the draw for tomorrow, here.