Stuart Grehan’s clubs have done most of the talking in creating memories of his golfing year, his deeds in this 51st Walker Cup adding to his memorable win in the Amateur Championship.

Here, Grehan was given the role as on-course leader of the GB&I team by captain Dean Robertson and he outduelled world number one Preston Stout not once but twice in singles. The 33-year-old Offalyman – a reinstated amateur after six years spent playing on mini-tours and on the Challenge Tour – performed with a cool, calm authority that provided inspiration for his team-mates to follow.

Just as he had done in claiming the Amateur title at Royal Liverpool, a win that will see him rewarded with exemptions into next year’s Masters at Augusta National and the US Open at Pebble Beach, Grehan showcased his maturity and ability to get the job done when the going got tough.

Grehan, also the lone Irishman in the 10-man team, was first out in every session and finished with a record of two wins, one halved match and one loss. That sole defeat had come in the second morning’s foursomes when Grehan and Eliot Baker lost out to Stout and Ethan Fang in what was a disastrous session for the home team.

The time spent between the foursomes whitewash and the singles included listening to music – with Luke Poulter playing the role of DJ, starting with Oasis’s Wonderwall – and recalibrating.

Grehan admitted he was so flat that he could have slept. Instead, he lifted himself to again lead the way.

First out. No place to hide. It didn’t start well, as Grehan’s first hole included a shanked bunker shot and a duffed pitch. As he walked off the second hole, he was trailing Stout by two holes. It was familiar territory. He had been in the same position in Saturday’s singles against the same player, only to turn it around.

Grehan repeated the heroics, encouraged by a huge crowd who followed the two golfing goliaths down and along the fairways and from the sandhills, even as the weather switched from sunshine to squalls and always with a stiff wind coming off the Atlantic.

Two down through two, Grehan got back to all square after winning The Klondyke and The Dell – the fourth and fifth holes – but would turn one down after losing the ninth to a birdie.

The homeward run, though, saw Grehan assume control. He got back level when Stout bogeyed the 10th – where the American was in the left rough, came up short and failed to get up-and-down – but then produced a stunning approach from 159 yards on the par 5 12th that, for a time, looked like rolling in for an albatross. It didn’t, but the conceded eagle gave Grehan a lead he would never relinquish as he moved three up by also winning the 13th and 14th. Ultimately, he would close out for a 2&1 win.

“My job today was to be with Stuart, to be by his side and to support him and to have his back. He showed grit. He showed character. He showed tenacity, and he brought what was required, which was the 11th man, the Irish crowd, and that energy was fed by it,” said Robertson of his leader.

For Grehan, even following his win in the Amateur championship, this was different. Higher even. “It’s definitely the highlight of my golf career to be honest. Individual titles are great, but to win as a team on the biggest stage you could do it really, it’s amazing.

“I’m just so happy for everyone involved, the background staff, the players. But I’m just so happy for Dean for all the time and effort he’s put in and everything he’s been through this year. I’m just absolutely delighted for him, to be honest.”

“Dean’s only the 10th GB&I captain to do it, isn’t he? That says everything. But I suppose his preparation over the last two years – not even this year, last year as well – it was just incredible to get us as mentally and physically prepared as possible. He’s going to be a legend forever, isn’t he?”

Spoken by one legend about another after this special Walker Cup.

Sunday’s morning foursomes: GB&I 0 USA 4

Stuart Grehan/Eliot Baker lost to Preston Stout/Ethan Fang 3&2

Luke Poulter/Sam Easterbrook lost to Jay Leng Jnr/Kihei Akina 4&3

Tyler Weaver/Connor Graham lost to Miles Russell/Tyler Watts 3&2

Niall Sheils Donegan/Josh Hill lost to William Jennings/Ryder Cowan 4&3

Overall score: USA9 ½ GB&I 6½ Sunday’s afternoon singles

Stuart Grehan bt Preston Stout 2&1

Luke Poulter bt Ethan Fang 3&1

Jack Whaley bt William Jennings 8&7

Tyler Weaver bt Jay Leng Jnr 4&3

Niall Sheils Donegan halved with Kihei Akina

Eliot Baker bt Stewart Hagestad 1 hole

Connor Graham halved with Miles Russell

Josh Hill bt Tyler Watts 1 hole

Ben Bolton lost to Ryder Cowan 3&2

Sam Easterbrook lost to Josiah Gilbert 4&3.

Singles result: GB&I 7 USA 3Day two result: GB&I 7 USA 7Overall result: GB&I 13½ USA 12½